by Ruben Amorim insists he will choose which players to sign for Manchester United as he seeks to play the most decisive role in transfers.
The highly-rated Portuguese manager was named Erik ten Hag’s successor earlier this month and will be tasked with masterminding a rapid turnaround in fortunes at Old Trafford, with the club currently languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table and with only one victory. to their name until now in Europe.
Amorim takes charge of United for the first time against struggling Ipswich in a high-profile encounter at Portman Road on Sunday, ahead of which he spoke to the media for the first time in his new role as Red Devils boss.
Among the many topics discussed at his detailed opening press conference at Carrington was inevitably transfer business, an area in which United have notably struggled in recent years, with the former Sporting Lisbon chief asked to know whether he hoped to have any influence over which players were signed in the future or whether he was content to leave that to the recruiting team.
“I think everything has to be done together, because if you are a coach who comes here and has already chosen the players, it could be a mistake, because it is a football club that will be here for a long time and you, in as a coach you don’t know that,” Amorim responded, just five weeks before the January transfer window opens.
“So you have to work everyone together. And for this, we must improve recruitment processes. The data, the profile of the players we want but we have to have a strong position on that because I am the coach and I know how we want to play.
“I think it’s all together but the last word, as you say, should go to the manager, not because it’s your right but because it’s your responsibility. At the end they will ask you about the results and at the end it goes through me.
“I think all together we can improve the recruiting process and I have to understand the league, it’s important and when everything aligns, everything is on the same page, we can [correctly] buy and sell players.
Asked if it was agreed he would have the final say on new signings at United, Amorim added: “I’m not saying it’s the final say [say] but I have a big responsibility in the choice of players because it is something that should be done this way. I am the manager, the head coach and I have to choose the players.”
