Man Utd 'trying everything' to strengthen - but won't repeat 'mistakes'

Ruben Amorim says Manchester United are "trying everything" to strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes following another home defeat – but will not repeat "the mistakes of the past".

The 40-year-old also said it would not be an issue if Marcus Rashford started scoring for Aston Villa as his own side struggle to find the net.

Unwanted forward Rashford has joined Villa on loan until the end of the season after accepting he was not going to get picked if he stayed at Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old is only two goals off being United's joint highest scorer this season, even though he has not played since 12 December.

United drew another blank in their 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace, meaning only Everton and the bottom three - Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton - have scored fewer than their 28 Premier League goals this term.

"Humiliating? It is not embarrassing," said Amorim when asked about the prospect of Rashford scoring goals for Villa as United struggle. "When you loan a player, you expect him to play and improve so there is nothing humiliating there."

Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood has scored as many on his own as the 17 United have managed at home this season.

Rasmus Hojlund has scored seven in all competitions. Joshua Zirkzee has four. The pair, who cost in excess of £100m, were both left out of Amorim's starting line-up against Palace as Kobbie Mainoo was selected as a false nine. An experiment that ultimately failed.

'I want to improve the team so badly'

United head into the final day of the transfer window with speculation that they will further strengthen Amorim's squad, even though insiders are playing the prospect down.

Deals for Bayern Munich's Mathys Tel and Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku are regarded as unlikely. Although, after spending £25m on Lecce defender Patrick Dorgu and signing Arsenal youngster Ayden Heaven in the last 48 hours, it is not entirely clear whether the club would have to sell players in order to fund further signings.

"We are trying everything to improve the team without making the mistakes of the past and also trying to balance the urgency of the moment," said Amorim.

"We know all of the aspects of our club in the moment but we are trying everything.

"This market is really hard on clubs to make some deals. I want to improve the team so badly. I know what the team needs. Sometimes it's possible, sometimes it's not. When the window closes we will see the players that we have."

It is evident United need something to give them a lift.

They have now lost five of their last six Premier League home games under Amorim.

Incredibly, that means Amorim has lost more league games at Old Trafford than Jose Mourinho (four) in two-and-a-half years as United manager, and as many as Louis van Gaal (five) in his two seasons.

Yet there is trepidation about United's ability in the transfer market. Antony, signed from Ajax for £81.3m, has already joined Real Betis on loan. Tyrell Malacia, who cost £13m in 2022, also looks set for a move away from Old Trafford.

Neither has proved to be value for money and there are plenty of others in Amorim's squad about whom the same accusation could be levelled, which is why the club's Profit and Sustainability position has repeatedly been described as "tight".

Financial reality

Transfer deadline day promises to be huge for Manchester United and Ruben Amorim.

The financial reality of the club's situation is that the kind of spending Pep Guardiola has committed to at Manchester City just is not possible at Old Trafford.

But the reality of the weeks since Amorim's arrival from Sporting means, if there are not more new arrivals before the window closes, United will struggle to get out of the bottom half of the Premier League - which in turn will put the Portuguese under even more scrutiny when the 2025-26 campaign starts, as well as clipping the finance he has available to bring more players in.

The problem is who. Amorim can talk around the issue of scoring goals, but if he really had confidence in Hojlund or Zirkzee, he wouldn't be rotating them or leaving them both out, as he did today.

Guardiola doesn't rotate Erling Haaland. Ditto Arne Slot and Mo Salah. At this stage in the window, with limited amounts of money to spend, there are no guarantees. But United have to take a risk. They have to at least try. If they don't it will be Amorim who will be feeling the heat.