Ruben Amorim has submitted a simple transfer request to Manchester United's leaders: he wants the final say.
The Portuguese has been appointed as the new manager of the Red Devils following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag. He will oversee his first game at the helm this weekend as United travel to newly promoted Ipswich.
And while attention will remain focused on Amorim's task of getting the club back on track, transfers are also on the agenda. There is still just over a month to go before the January transfer window opens.
The Red Devils will look to strengthen their squad, even if resources will be limited after a summer filibuster under former boss Ten Hag. Amorim has now spoken out on possible transfers and claims he wants to be the deciding vote.
During his introductory press conference, he said: “I think it has to 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 take a strong stance on that because I am the coach and I know how to play, so I think it all comes together, but the last word, as you can say , should be with the manager – not just because it's your right, but because it's your responsibility, because they will eventually ask you about the results, in my opinion.
“I think it all comes together. Improve the recruiting process. I have to understand the league. That's important. If everything lines up, we can buy and sell players.”
Amorim's comments come after his predecessor Ten Hag ran into problems on the transfer front. The Dutchman initially had sufficient control upon arrival.
It was claimed that Sir Jim Ratcliffe was leading talks to reduce that influence during negotiations over Ten Hag's new deal. It was previously claimed that he also had a veto over both incoming and outgoing deals.
Despite this, recruitment this summer still seemed to be led by Ten Hag. Players who previously played under him, including Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee, were all signed.
Amorim could yet follow suit at United, linking up with some of his former Sporting Lisbon players. Viktor Gyokeres, Ousmane Diomande and Geovany Quenda are all reportedly being considered.
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