Amorim requests Man Utd to sign £50m+ star with Dorgu as INEOS prepare bid
After admitting that his side could be the worst Manchester United team in the club's history, Ruben Amorim has reportedly requested the signing of a key defensive reinforcement this month.
When Amorim accepted Manchester United's offer to become Erik ten Hag's replacement, he would have been aware of just how great a challenge he had on his hands. However, not even he would have believed that, just months later, he'd be making stark admissions about the lack of quality in his side.
Whether the former Sporting Club manager should have made such a statement is up for debate, but he may not have been wrong in his assessment. The Red Devils currently sit 13th after 22 Premier League games and sit closer to the relegation zone than any European place. To say they need reinforcements would be an understatement.
On that front, names such as Patrick Dorgu have threatened to steal the headlines. The Lecce defender could instantly solve Amorim's wing-back problem with those at Old Trafford now reportedly set to open negotiations in pursuit of his signature this month. But he's not the only one who could arrive.
According to reports in Spain, Amorim has now requested Man Utd to sign Ousmane Diomande alongside Dorgu with INEOS now preparing an offer worth €60m (£51m) to hand United a much-needed defensive boost.
What would undoubtedly help Amorim is the fact that Diomande is a familiar face who already knows his system incredibly well, given that the defender enjoyed great success working under Amorim during their time together at Sporting.
Manchester United's struggles under Amorim shouldn't really come as too great a surprise. After all, they are playing a back three system with arguably just one defender who arguably suits such a set-up in Harry Maguire and attempting to implement wing-backs without having one natural wing-back within their current squad. The reality is that it's been square pegs in round holes since the arrival of their new manager.
Diomande could, therefore, ease their problems. A defender who has thrived within a back three under Amorim and a player who is only set to get even better at just 21 years old, £51m could quickly turn into a bargain deal. Dubbed "complete" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, Diomande is certainly one to watch.
That said, Diomande must only be the start of Manchester United's reinforcements as they look to build Amorim a side simply capable of thriving in his preferred system at Old Trafford.