RUBEN AMORIM has admitted he will STILL have to sell to buy in a damning indictment of how much of a financial mess Manchester United are in.
The Old Trafford boss knows he needs a top new striker and a clutch of signings to strengthen the squad he declared “the worst” in the club’s history.
But to do so he will almost certainly be forced to watch some of his best players leave in the summer to raise funds.
Boss Amorim declared: “I have to understand these problems [the club has] but that is not new.
“You know the rules of financial fair play, we have a problem and right now my focus is on other things – like playing Tottenham on Sunday.
“But here it is simple. To do something we need to sell players. Right now the window is closed. My focus is on the next game.”
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Yet Amorim’s focus is bound to be blurred by the cash crisis that has forced part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to consider making 200 more staff redundant having already dumped 250.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2million-per-year salary for acting as an ambassador has also gone amid a host of other swingeing cuts.
United, who have lost £300m over the last three years, were deeply fearful that that would be hit by a points deduction last month after sailing perilously close to the wind on Prem profit and sustainability rules.
The club would also have allowed home grown stars Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho to go for the right price – both valued by United at around £65m each.
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Amorim wants to start planning for a summer rebuild but faces destruction rather than construction of a squad that has precious little quality.
United loaned Marcus Rashford and Antony out – to Aston Villa and Real Betis respectively – to save around £300,000 a week in wages combined.
Tyrell Malacia also went to PSV Eindhoven in another money-saving loan.
Ineos billionaire and his No2 Sir Dave Brailsford set Amorim a “Mission 21’’ target of winning the title by 2028 to mark the club’s 150th anniversary.
But with £1.1BILLION part-owner Ratcliffe robbing Peter to pay Paul that task even now, looks like a mission impossible.
Amorim is trying to sound positive saying of “Mission 21” : “Yes, we talk about that with our focus from day on to win the Premier League.
“We can change everything in a few years. I don’t know how long it’s going to take.
“The way we play, the games we don’t win, but we need to work every day and focus on the little steps and then in the summer we will see.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
