Manchester United: Dan Ashworth exit ‘not best situation’ but club vision clear – Ruben Amorim

There have been reports United must sell players before being able to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.

Asked if that was the case, Amorim said: “No, I’m really focused on [managing] to see my players and to understand my players. I think that is one of the problems of the club.

“We have to focus on what we have. We have to focus on the academy and also have a clear profile when you get the players, so it’s a lot of details you have to manage.

“You can see at set-pieces, sometimes you look at our team and we are a small team compared to others.

“Every detail counts and we have to be very clear first in the profiles, arrange all the process, and then go to that phase of buying and selling players.”

Several players are still getting used to the club having been signed by Amorim’s predecessor Erik ten Hag in the summer, while Netherlands left-back Tyrell Malacia has just returned from knee surgery to make his first Premier League start since May 2023.

“We have, like Ty, international players, good players, and we need time to teach them our ideas and then we will see because this is a massive club,” added Amorim.

“We have to arrange a lot of things in our club before thinking just in buying or selling players.

“There’s a lot to do, so let’s focus on improving our players, improving our academy and then see.”