Man Utd players warned only one is safe as new Ruben Amorim era poised to begin

Manchester United’s underperforming players have been warned that only one player is likely to be viewed as “safe” when new boss Ruben Amorim walks through the door on Monday.

The Sporting boss will take charge at Old Trafford after overseeing his final game with the Portuguese giants against Braga on Sunday, although he certainly whetted the appetite of what could come at Old Trafford after his side crushed Manchester City in the Champions League in midweek.

The 39-year-old will, however, be taking over a United squad that is unbalanced and currently sitting 13th in the Premier League after a woeful start to the new campaign led to Erik ten Hag’s sacking.

Amorim is already being heavily tipped to bring some of his top Sporting stars with him to Old Trafford, including the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Pedro Goncalves, although he admits that will not happen in the January window.

But former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has warned United’s current crop of stars that anyone could be on the changing block, apart from Red Devils skipper and Amorim’s fellow countryman Bruno Fernandes.

“‘I honestly can’t because you could say seven or eight,” Merson told Sky Sports when asked how many players Amorim could look to move on.

“They haven’t got wing-backs and I look at Rashford and Garnacho and I think where are you two going to play. The two centre forwards they’ve got are not really the centre forward that he wants that’s going to be hectic up front, hold the ball up and let everyone join in.

“I only see Fernandes as the one for me who is a safe one. He’ll play in behind as No.10 and can play his football. He’s Portuguese he’ll know him.

“There’s so much hard work to be done there, it’s such a hard job. This is a different league, that league where they play is a different world. You come to Old Trafford you have to win every game.”

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Merson expects Amorim success at Man Utd

Meanwhile, Merson is expecting Amorim to do a good job at Old Trafford and turn the club around after they turned to the Portuguese as the latest in a growing list of successors to legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Amorim won two titles in his homeland and the type of football United fans can expect to see was in evidence against City, albeit mostly in the second half of a game they were trailing 1-0 before winning 4-1 with a stunning turnaround.

The Gunners legend added: “I’ve talked to people in Portugal when I’ve been in cabs and Sporting fans and two years ago they were telling me how good he was.

“They were talking rough English like me. He will get it right but it will take time because the fair play rules now don’t let you go bang, wallop, crash.

“These players at Manchester United aren’t going anywhere.”

Latest Man Utd news: Arsenal move for Amorim favourite / United learn Gyokeres asking price

Arsenal are giving Manchester United competition in the pursuit of Ruben Amorim favourite Ousmane Diomande, as the Gunners have scouted and approached the defender, according to reports.

With Amorim heading through the door at United, ideas on how he wants to strengthen the side are being floated. There are links to many of his current Sporting CP players, including centre-back Diomande.

But the Red Devils are far from the only big side in the market for the defender.

Meanwhile, Sporting Lisbon remain calm and confident they can retain the services of Viktor Gyokeres in the January window, with Fabrizio Romano providing an update on the growing interest in the striker’s services and amid claims Manchester United have learned the bargain price the striker can move for.