Ruben Amorim's Man United January transfer priority 'revealed' but deal for leading target 'is on hold'

Amorim has won two, drawn one and lost one of his four games in charge of the 20-time English champions, with his first defeat coming at Arsenal on Wednesday night, as the Red Devils went down 2-0 in the Premier League.

Man United impressed defensively for long stages of the contest, but they were ultimately undone by two corners, while there was a lack of an attacking threat from the away side.

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have both scored braces since Amorim's arrival, but it is understood that a new striker is viewed as a priority by the new manager next year.

According to The Mirror, Amorim wants a forward to arrive in January, but a deal for leading target Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres will be incredibly difficulty due to the complex nature of mid-season deals.

Amorim 'wants a striker in January'

A Bola report that Man United are at the head of the queue for Gyokeres, but Sporting will point to the €100m (£83m) release clause in his contract if the Red Devils make a January approach.

It is understood that the Sweden international will be available for a lower figure next summer, so Amorim will seemingly have to wait if he wants to land the 26-year-old, who has scored 25 goals in 22 matches this season.

Man United have also been linked with a loan move for Randal Kolo Muani, who has only managed two goals and one assist in 13 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain this season.

A short-term deal could be possible, but much is likely to depend on Zirkzee, with the Netherlands international being heavily linked with a return to Serie A.

Zirkzee scored twice in Man United's 4-0 win over Everton in the Premier League last weekend, but he has largely struggled to make his mark at Old Trafford and is not believed to figure in Amorim's long-term plans.

Amorim 'close' to working out best team

Amorim has tried a number of different attacking combinations since arriving as Man United head coach, and the Portuguese said during his press conference on Friday that he now "more or less" knows his best side.

"More or less [I am close to knowing my best line-up], yes," he told reporters. "You have an idea, but then you have the problem of players returning without training and then you have to manage the load. So you also have the same problem.

"But then you have to imagine and understand what kind of player you have. Bruno Fernandes, you feel it, against Arsenal, in the end, he was a little bit tired, but you know he is going to recover very well. Manuel Ugarte, I've known for so long; I know that he needs sometimes a little bit more time.

"So we are in that process, to know the players and trying to manage that, but we're getting closer to an idea, yes."

Hojlund came back into the XI against Arsenal on Wednesday after being rested against Everton, and it remains to be seen whether the Denmark international is again given the nod against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Written by

Matt Law