Manchester United’s Bold Summer Plans: Who’s In, Who’s Out | OneFootball

Manchester United Transfer Window Plans Reveal Priorities, Problems and Pressure

With the summer transfer window now open, Manchester United’s recruitment team is operating at full tilt, attempting to patch holes that have grown too large to ignore. This is not merely a case of adding talent, it is about restoring belief.

United’s failure to secure Champions League football has intensified the scrutiny on every move they make. In that vacuum of elite European competition, the club must prove its identity and vision remain intact. New head coach Rúben Amorim has a clear tactical blueprint, but he inherits a side that has been long on hype and short on substance. His challenge is immense, his decisions pivotal.

Reinventing the attack and reshaping creativity

Manchester United’s early capture of Matheus Cunha from Wolves is a statement of intent. The Brazilian is not just a forward, but a player who dribbles directly, instinctively and with flair. He offers confidence in the final third and, crucially, brings a goalscoring mentality that could lift the creative burden off Bruno Fernandes’ increasingly fatigued shoulders.

Photo: IMAGO

“What Matheus Cunha brings to Manchester United: Confidence, direct dribbling and a striker’s instinct,” reads the scouting summary. And that may be exactly what United need. The attack often resembled a confused ensemble last season, lacking cohesion and inventiveness. Cunha, operating as one of two No 10s behind a central striker in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation, could prove central to restoring fluidity.

But Cunha is just the beginning.

The club had pursued Liam Delap only to see the 22-year-old opt for Chelsea instead. This misfire has seen Manchester United pivot towards Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, a player they had earmarked as an alternative. With Delap gone, Mbeumo now becomes a priority, and with good reason.

On Monday night, The Athletic reported that “Mbeumo, 25, has decided he wants to join United.” His form last season was striking — 20 Premier League goals in a campaign where Ivan Toney’s shadow loomed large. It was a breakout year for a player previously seen as more workhorse than thoroughbred. Though there is no release clause, Brentford’s openness to negotiations, with Mbeumo’s contract set to expire in 2026 (with an optional extra year), could make this move viable.

Amorim is also a long-term admirer of Viktor Gyökeres, the Swedish striker he worked with at Sporting CP. Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has also been assessed. And while Napoli’s Victor Osimhen seemed financially out of reach earlier this year, the failure to land Delap could lead to a reassessment of that stance.

Amorim’s tactical demands and squad priorities

More than just firepower, Amorim’s system demands full-backs who are closer in function to playmakers. In his preferred 3-4-2-1 shape, wing-backs must attack the final third with precision or invert to form central overloads. Manchester United have lacked that dynamism in wide areas, and finding the right profiles here is crucial if Amorim is to implement his vision effectively.

The Portuguese coach also covets an athletic No 8 — someone capable of dominating midfield transitions and linking phases of play. This role, currently undefined in United’s roster, might be as important as the pursuit of a new striker.

As much as new faces are required, exits are just as vital. United’s bloated wage bill and lack of European competition make trimming the squad essential. Amorim wants a leaner, hungrier group, tailored to his tactics and built with flexibility in mind.

Alejandro Garnacho is, surprisingly, on the market. Rasmus Højlund may also be moved on should another No 9 arrive, with Inter Milan expressing interest. Marcus Rashford, Tyrell Malacia and Antony — all of whom spent the back half of last season out on loan — are being actively shopped.

United are hopeful Chelsea will honour their obligation to buy Jadon Sancho after his temporary stint there. And while it would have seemed unthinkable not long ago, Bruno Fernandes is also being considered for sale, with Saudi club Al Hilal preparing an offer. His potential departure would reshape not only the squad but United’s entire strategy in this window.

Balancing ambition with financial restrictions

Manchester United fans have grown accustomed to seismic spending sprees in the transfer window. But behind the veil of glamour lies a financial structure creaking under its own weight.

Cunha’s £62.5million arrival may have been swift and decisive, but it was not a declaration of unbridled spending power. It was calculated. Wolves accepted a staggered three-year payment structure, which eased the burden. Similarly, the £30million earmarked for Delap will now be redirected towards alternatives — potentially Mbeumo or Gyökeres.

In a letter to supporters earlier this year, the club laid bare the financial state of play:“We are currently making a significant loss each year — totalling over £300million in the past three years. This is not sustainable and if we do not act now we are in danger of failing to comply with PSR/FFP requirements in future years and significantly impacting our ability to compete on the pitch.”

For all the talk of ambition, reality looms. The club ended 2024 with £95.5million in cash but owed a staggering net £300.1m in transfer instalments. That is the cost of spending like a Champions League club without consistently qualifying for it. In fact, next season will be United’s sixth out of twelve outside of Europe’s top-tier competition.

No wonder Amorim’s plan includes using loans as a stopgap solution. Rashford’s wages are too high for most suitors to commit to a permanent move, but a loan — especially one that keeps him in the shop window — may appeal. Barcelona have been linked, with Rashford’s brother and agent, Dwaine Maynard, holding talks in Spain. Coach Hansi Flick is believed to be a fan.

United will also seek loans for a number of younger squad players, many of whom require regular football to progress — something unlikely at Old Trafford with a streamlined squad.

Market clarity and strategic recalibration

Signing Cunha on the first day of the window was uncharacteristic for United in its sharpness, but it has set the tone for what must be a productive and intelligent window. Amorim is determined to implement his ideas swiftly, but the board must facilitate that with clarity of purpose.

With PSR restrictions hanging over them and few assets they can sell at peak value, United are having to be more creative than ever. Yet within that constraint lies opportunity — to build a squad that is less about marquee names and more about tactical balance.

Much depends on what happens next with Fernandes and Højlund, but even if both stay, Manchester United’s transfer window will be defined not by big names, but by how well they support Amorim’s evolving system.

It is not just about who comes in, it is about who fits. After a decade of scattergun spending, United must finally act like a modern football club. The window is open — and the pressure is on.