Ruben Amorim confirms Man Utd decision on January transfers after board talks | Football | Sport

Ruben Amorim has revealed there are currently no discussions taking place with the Manchester United hierarchy regarding potential January signings, despite the club’s promising position in the race for Champions League qualification. United sit sixth at the midway point of the Premier League season, level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea and just three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, yet Amorim insists this won’t alter the club’s existing strategy.

The Portuguese manager had previously hinted that United might make a January move under the right circumstances, with the club reportedly prepared to trigger Antoine Semenyo’s £65million release clause at Bournemouth before the forward chose Manchester City instead. However, Amorim has now confirmed there are no ongoing talks with director of football Jason Wilcox or chief executive Omar Berrada about bolstering the squad this month, even though the club finds itself well-positioned to meet its Champions League objective.

“The transfer window is not going to change, we have no conversation to have any change in the squad,” said Amorim. “There is a process, there is an idea, we are near the places of Champions League, but we’re also near eight teams behind us, so let’s focus on the next game.”

Amorim appeared more pessimistic about transfers than in recent weeks, having sounded considerably more optimistic about January additions when speaking on December 20. “We will see. The only thing we know is we will only try to bring players that we think are going to be the future,” he said that day.

“It’s not going to be to save something in this moment, to cope with the losses of three players for AFCON, it’s not going to be like that.

“Even if we try to bring one player, maybe it’s not the position that we need more. We will try to bring now, and [at] the end of the season, players that are perfect for our future. So, I don’t know what is going to happen, but it is possible that we can do something.”

Amorim also emphasised that no player had requested to depart the club this month, despite Roma’s keen interest in Joshua Zirkzee, whilst Kobbie Mainoo remains open to a temporary switch having battled for consistent game time this campaign.

When questioned whether anyone had approached him requesting an exit, Amorim replied: “No, none of them. I don’t expect them to come to me to ask [to leave].”