Man Utd open to lower fees for ‘bomb squad’ as Ruben Amorim handed show of faith

 Manchester United are braced to take big financial hits on Ruben Amorim’s £300 million “bomb squad” as the club throw their support behind the manager.

United are due to fly to Chicago on Tuesday for the start of their pre-season tour of the US without a number of players whose price tags have tumbled after being ruthlessly jettisoned by Amorim.

Marcus Rashford was on the verge of completing a season-long loan move to Barcelona on Monday as United prepare to wash their hands of the England striker, who was being valued at £100 million only two years ago.

United are now under pressure to offload Rashford’s fellow outcasts Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia after Amorim made it clear none of the players feature in his plans and the club have vowed to back the Portuguese’s judgment.

Garnacho – who was the subject of bids from Chelsea and Napoli in January – was initially valued at between £60 million and £70 million by United. But the Argentina forward’s suitors believe he could now be snared for around £40 million with his position at Old Trafford increasingly untenable. Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are all thought to be monitoring his situation along with some clubs overseas although Garnacho’s preference is to stay in the Premier League.

Sancho is out of contract next summer and seems likely to leave on loan before the close of the transfer window on Sept 1, with Juventus one of the interested parties, four years after United paid Borussia Dortmund £73 million for the one-time England forward.

United were looking for around €45 million (£39 million) for Antony at the start of the summer but Real Betis – where the Brazil winger impressed on loan last season – have baulked at that valuation. Betis would favour another loan but United – who paid Ajax £85.5 million for Antony in 2022 – want a permanent deal as they scramble to raise cash to reinvest in the squad.

Left-back Malacia, a £14.7 million signing from Feyenoord three summers ago who spent the second half of last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, is unlikely to command much of a fee.

Rashford’s loan move to Barcelona is likely to save United around £12.75 million in wages but it is still a small sum compared to the 27-year-old’s transfer value. Barcelona are believed to have the option to sign Rashford for £40 million next summer which could look cheap if he thrives in Spain over the course of this season.

Exits could unlock attacking additions

United have raised £20.7 million so far this summer through sell-on fees and a £5 million penalty clause Chelsea paid not to sign Sancho permanently after his loan spell at Stamford Bridge.

Amorim’s decision to bomb out those players has increased the pressure on United to get them out of the door this summer at the same time as encouraging potential suitors that they can be acquired for lower fees with Old Trafford executives forced to compromise.

United have spent £133.5 million so far on Brazil forward Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, whose £71 million move from Brentford is being finalised in time for him to fly with the rest of the squad to Chicago on Tuesday.

Amorim’s side are due to play West Ham United, Bournemouth and Everton in the Premier League summer series in the US.

The Portuguese is still in the market for a striker and central midfielder this summer and possibly a centre-half and back up goalkeeper as he attempts to reshape the squad to better serve his 3-4-2-1 system. But United’s room for manoeuvre will be heavily influenced by who they are able to get out.

United have been looking at an array of striker options including Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. They are long-term admirers of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko but would need to raise money to be able to fund a deal for the Slovenia international. Moise Kean, of Fiorentina, is another forward on the radar while United have been offered a host of free agents, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin.