Amorim hands Man Utd dream triple transfer wishlist – with signing No 1 slotted in for January

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has reportedly tasked the club with funding moves for two big-name stars in 2025 that he believes can help restore the club to their former glories – while a third name on the list is already slotted to arrive this month.

If Amorim did not realise the size of the task awaiting him at Old Trafford when he agreed to leave Sporting Lisbon in November, he certainly does now, with five defeats from their last six Premier League games leaving Manchester United a perilous seven points clear of the relegation zone. And with Monday’s defeat to Newcastle proving arguably the biggest eye-opener of all as his side were badly out-performed all over the park, Amorim knows he has a mammoth job on his hands at restoring the 20-times champions of England back to their former glories.

To add to the difficulties facing the new boss, he is unlikely to have much in the way of transfer funds in January with the club, who invested some £180m under former boss Erik ten Hag over the summer, sailing perilously close to their FFP limitations.

However, in order to try and generate some much-needed funds of their own, a report on New Year’s Day has revealed Amorim has handed club boss a three-man list of players to move on, with the prospective triple exit worth £3.8m per month in saved wages.

That situation should drastically improve come the summer when Amorim can expect to spend more heavily on rebuilding his team, though to kick things off, the Daily Mail reports that the 39-year-old tactician has handed INEOS a list of dream transfer targets to try and breathe new life into the squad.

Top of that wishlist is PSG full-back Nuno Mendes, though a deal will be far from easy. The same can be said for the second name on the list: Victor Osimhen, who despite having his release clause lowered by Napoli is still priced at a fee beyond United’s capabilities this month.

The third name on the list, however, is a little more straightforward and the Mail claims United have already done the groundwork over a deal to sign Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who would be brought in as a new No.2 should Altay Bayindir depart Old Trafford.

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Amorim may need to wait til summer to land Man Utd targets

With financial restraints likely to seriously limit what Amorim can do this month – unless some major sales are agreed – the Portuguese coach readily accepts he will likely have to wait until the summer window before he can make serious surgery on the United squad.

“We don’t have that possibility in January,” Amorim told the media following Monday’s loss to Newcastle. “It is not the case that I am arriving here and can spend a lot of money changing all the team.

“You know the situation so there’s not a lot of point talking about it.”

Despite those words of caution, the Mail is adamant that Amorim has issued the club with a strong plea to try and fund a new left wing-back signing and with Mendes now right at the top of that wanted list and with the player ready to say ‘yes’ to the move.

A deal for the 22-year-old will not come cheap, with the French champions valuing the 33-times capped Portugal star in the €55m (£45.6m, $57.2m) bracket. However, having played under Amorim previously at Sporting and with his deal due to expire in summer 2026, United are refusing to rule out the prospect of sorting out a deal to bring Mendes to Old Trafford.

The clubs also have a good recent relationship with United having signed Manuel Ugarte from the Ligue 1 giants last summer.

Galatasaray loanee Osimhen, meanwhile, has seen the exit clause in his Napoli contract lowered to some €75m (£62.2m, $78m) – significantly cheaper than the minimum €100m asking price on his head over the summer.

And while the Nigeria striker continues to be of interest to United, Amorim knows a deal of that magnitude is simply going to have to wait with the funds just not there to prise the player away from Istanbul this month.

Man Utd transfer news: Massive clearout plans underway

Key to United signing off on the capture of Mendes, however, will be their ability to move on a number of the club’s unwanted stars. And with sources telling us that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is eager to lower the club’s wage bill and is angry at the situation he has inherited, the club will work hard this month on moving on several unwanted stars.

Top of the list of those sanctioned to leave, we understand, are both Casemiro and Marcus Rashford – the club’s two best-paid stars. However, the clearout is unlikely to end there, with Christian Eriksen and Antony also on the chopping block in January.

Meanwhile, former United interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy keen to reunite with Toby Collyer at his new club Leicester City. A move to prise the 20-year-old defensive midfielder to the King Power Stadium is set to be launched in the opening days of the window.

Another major departure could come in the form of Joshua Zirkee.

Information received by our transfer correspondent Rudy Galetti has revealed the Netherlands striker’s early substitution against Newcastle on Monday has convinced the player that he needs to depart Old Trafford and with three clubs in Italy – including a surprise new contender – all ready to show their hand and sign him on loan.

And while United are yet to decide whether to sanction a deal, the player is understood to be now pushing to leave as he seeks to restore what has been described to us as ‘mental serenity’.

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