Man United refused Ruben Amorim seven transfer targets including UCL winner & World Cup winner | OneFootball

Ruben Amorim was reportedly refused the chance to sign his preferred players by the recruitment team.

This revelation comes following Amorim’s sacking on Monday morning. While results on the pitch were cited as the primary reason for his exit, relationship with the club hierarchy had completely broken down, specially after his explosive interview post Leeds United draw.

Reports from The Sun have also suggested a fractured relationship between the Portuguese manager and the club’s hierarchy, specifically regarding recruitment.

It has emerged that Amorim was denied seven specific transfer targets including a future Champions League winner and a proven Premier League goalscorer in favor of “data-driven” alternatives that ultimately failed to deliver.

Manchester United refused Ruben Amorim his preferred targets

According to the report, Ruben Amorim wanted Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins but his request was rejected.

Amorim viewed the England international as the ideal Premier League proven hitman to lead his line.

Instead, Head of Recruitment Christopher Vivell and the board sanctioned a £74m move for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

The decision has been disastrous, with Sesko netting just two goals in 17 Premier League appearances this season.

The report also claims Amorim was desperate to sign Nuno Mendes from PSG to play as his left wing-back.

The board refused, opting for Patrick Dorgu from Lecce instead. Cruelly for Amorim, Mendes went on to win the Champions League with PSG and was named in the 2025 FIFA FIFPRO World 11.

The other denied targets included Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez (United signed Senne Lammens instead) and a quartet of Amorim’s former Sporting Lisbon stars: Geovany Quenda, Ousmane Diomande, Salvador Blopa, and Morten Hjulmand.

Young Man United fan with a poster thanking Ruben Amorim at the Burnley game.

Should Man United have allowed Ruben Amorim to sign his own players?

Amorim’s system relies heavily on specific profiles, experienced wing-backs and clinical finishers, yet he was prospects like Sesko and Dorgu who needed time he didn’t have.

By refusing to sanction moves for proven winners like Watkins and Martinez, the United hierarchy effectively asked Amorim to cook a five-star meal with ingredients he didn’t choose.

The result, a disjointed squad and a sacked manager, suggests that until the board aligns its wallet with its manager’s vision, the cycle of failure at Old Trafford is destined to continue.