No Fernandes but Rashford returns in Man Utd XI to be picked by Glasner if he joins in the summer
Well, it’s back to the drawing board for Manchester United after they finally cut ties with former *head coach* Ruben Amorim.
It may have come at least a few months too late, but INEOS have finally made the right call to part company with Amorim, who admittedly forced their hand with a sack ultimatum relating to January signings.
Amorim is the worst Man Utd boss post-Sir Alex Ferguson, but his demise follows a familiar trend set by previous managers, with mid-season exits leading club chiefs to the interim route before they make a permanent appointment in the summer.
This time, however, Man Utd will be making not one, but two, interim appointments. Current boss Darren Fletcher is due to be replaced by a more suitable temporary, who could end up being fellow club legend and former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
We must respect INEOS for providing such entertainment by going for the most convoluted and thus funniest route with replacing Amorim, which would become even better if Solskjaer, once he’s back at the wheel, goes the whole hog with his full circle moment by maintaining his current 74% win rate as caretaker to leave Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. with no choice but to make him United’s permanent boss once more.
This would be the dream scenario for neutrals (and certain Man Utd legends stuck in the past), but INEOS will probably think better of keeping Solskjaer (or another interim) beyond this season.
Instead, they are said to have already drawn up a list of permanent options, with their shortlist said to be led by Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who is their ‘top candidate’.
Glasner is certainly deserving of a job of Man Utd’s stature following his stellar work at Crystal Palace, and the imminent expiry of his contract would make for a seamless appointment.
The respected Austrian also happens to use the same formation adopted by Amorim and has found a way to make it work in the Premier League to a greater degree.
So, assuming that Glasner is appointed in the summer and that he continues to use a 3-4-3 formation at Man Utd, what would be his starting XI next season?
Well, starting with an easy one, summer signing Senne Lammens would *obviously* remain Man Utd’s No.1 because his fine start to the season has quashed any remaining hopes held by outcast Andre Onana of being handed a reprieve by a new manager.
In front of him, Man Utd have a wider breadth of options at centre-back than in other positions, so it is certainly feasible that they also do not strengthen in this department in the summer.
Therefore, the current cream of the crop would continue under Glaser; Leny Yoro as the right centre-back, Matthijs de Ligt in the middle and Lisandro Martinez on the left. This strong trio would also benefit from Glasner not following Amorim in needlessly tinkering with his back three…
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The situation is more complicated at wing-back, and it could see Man Utd pull off a double raid on Crystal Palace to sign £26m-rated Daniel Munoz, thus handing the 29-year-old his “dream” transfer.
Munoz’s immense form at Palace over the past 18 months, as one of the standout natural wing-backs in the Premier League and Europe, indicates he’s capable of making the step up. He would also be an affordable fix for Man Utd as a no-brainer signing.
On the other flank, it would make sense for Glasner to stand by Patrick Dorgu, who was signed as a long-term project and solution to Amorim’s wing-back headache on the left.
Dorgu has not been without his issues at Man Utd, and he is still raw, but he has been one of their better performers in recent weeks, albeit in a different role, and could easily end up realising his potential working under a world-class head coach.
Onto central midfield, and a key reason why Amorim’s 3-4-3 system failed at Man Utd was that he never had the right blend in the middle of the pitch, though this area is set for a revamp in the coming months.
As good as he has been for Man Utd, Fernandes has been somewhat hamstrung in the deeper role alongside Casemiro; he should be sacrificed one year later than ideal as a Saudi Pro League transfer would fund the club’s summer transfer business, while the veteran Brazilian is primed for a bit-part role if he accepts a contract extension on reduced terms.
In their place should and potentially will be Kobbie Mainoo and £100m signing Carlos Baleba.
Mainoo is rightly already being touted as the big winner of Amorim’s demise, and he will be relishing the prospect of an overdue fresh start, while all reports indicate that Baleba remains the most likely candidate to be Casemiro’s long-term replacement in the No.6 role.
Then, like with Lammens, the starters in the No.10 positions are easy to select, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha making these spots their own since arriving in the summer.
Mbeumo and Cunha have been head and shoulders above the rest of Man Utd’s attackers this term and are natural fits for the No.10 role in Amorim and Glasner’s system, and they would no doubt blend nicely with Marcus Rashford if/when he returns.
With Amorim being a principle reason why Rashford is not currently playing for Man Utd, it’s hardly surprising that reports of a summer return to Old Trafford for United’s academy product are already circulating.
Rashford’s form for Aston Villa, Barcelona and England has made Amorim look rather foolish, but given the Spanish club’s renowned financial troubles, Amorim-less Man Utd are perhaps the forward’s most likely destination next season.
And he can return to Man Utd stronger for his experiences elsewhere and probably start ahead of struggling striker Benjamin Sesko.
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