Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has reportedly highlighted the left full-back position as an area the club needs to improve after seeing Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia struggle with injuries.
Amorim is preparing for his first game against Ipswich Town on Sunday and he will quickly discover where his side are lacking and what improvements are needed after a difficult season so far.
The Portuguese boss has already been linked with a host of players before officially joining United, including his former Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, and is likely to look to strengthen his squad in January.
Amorim has been putting his players through their paces at the club's training ground in Carrington this week after flying in to work at the club. His job is to overhaul the squad and turn around their fortunes after a dismal start to the campaign.
According to Sky Sports, Amorim has seen enough of his new side to recognize that left full-back is a problem area that requires more depth and may need a “fix” in the January window.
Amorim is known to use traditional wingers in his wing-back slots, so players like Alejandro Garnacho may have to step in for the time being.
It adds that Amorim and his staff are, however, “dismayed” by reports linking them with a number of players and for now are “keen to exploit the untapped potential” of their existing players, including striker Rasmus Hojlund.
This week, Amorim emphasized during his first press conference that he must have the final say on all transfer decisions at the club, as he wants to leave his mark on the team. Erik ten Hag would have a “veto” on deals, but Amorim wants full control.
He said, 'I think it should be that way [done] All in all, because if you are a coach who comes in here and you have already chosen the players, it could be wrong because this is a football club that will be here for a long time and you as a coach, you don't know that.
“So you all have to work together and for that we have to improve the recruitment process. The data, the profile of the players we want, but I have to have a strong position in that because I am the coach and I know how to play, so I think it's all together, but the final say, as you might say, should be with the manager – not just because it's your right, but because it's your responsibility, because ultimately they're going to ask you about the results for me.”
Amorim has been linked with a string of former Sporting Lisbon players, with Ousmane Diomande and Geovany Quenda also considered in addition to Gyokeres.
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