Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has opened up on manager Ruben Amorim’s intentions to transform the current squad drastically after a troubling defeat to West Ham United. Despite their impressive run in Europe, reaching the Europa League final with a commanding 7-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao, United’s domestic form remains a concern.
Following a 2-0 loss at Old Trafford that left United languishing in 16th place, Amorim expressed embarrassment over both the performance and result. The first-half goal from Tomas Soucek set the tone, and a precise cross from former United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka allowed Jarrod Bowen to double West Ham’s lead.
Watching the match, Ferdinand believes Amorim is ready to overhaul at least half of the squad. Speaking on his podcast, he said, “I think he looks around the dressing room and thinks, ‘If I could wave a magic wand, in the next five years at least 50 per cent of this team wouldn’t be here.’ They’re not good enough and they’re not right for the way he wants to play.”
Ferdinand emphasized the need for a long-term rebuilding strategy: “He needs, minimum, two good windows of getting rid of the ones he doesn’t require but also getting in players that he really needs. There has to be a lot of things to go right for us to make a dramatic turn on this. He’s coaching the team to understand what he wants, which has led to him getting terrible results in the Premier League consistently.”
Ferdinand emphasized the need for a long-term rebuilding strategy: “He needs, minimum, two good windows of getting rid of the ones he doesn’t require but also getting in players that he really needs. There has to be a lot of things to go right for us to make a dramatic turn on this. He’s coaching the team to understand what he wants, which has led to him getting terrible results in the Premier League consistently.”
Highlighting the type of players Amorim seeks, Ferdinand added, “He needs to recruit dynamic athletes. I don’t want no mavericks, or players that are frilly and can do pirouettes. No, no, people that can run past and over people as well.”
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Amorim Signals Major Changes Ahead
Amorim himself hinted that significant changes are coming. The former Sporting Lisbon manager explained, “I talk with the board, with everybody and even with the fans in every moment. I have a clear feeling that I know what this team needs to be so much better, and that has helped me to maintain that level of not go down so much and not so high in some moments.”
The upcoming Europa League final on May 21 presents a chance for United to claim silverware and secure a spot in next season’s Champions League. However, Amorim fears the current squad might not yet be ready for Europe’s top competition.
“Everybody is focused on the final. The final is not the biggest thing in our football club. We need to change a lot of things,” Amorim admitted. “If we don’t change the way we play and perform and feel this urgency of winning every game, we should not play in the Champions League. We should just stay in the Premier League and learn how to be competitive one week at a time. The biggest focus on our football club is to change a lot of things. It’s not just the final.”
