Ruben Amorim warned Alejandro Garnacho to ‘pray’ he can find a new club this summer as he effectively kicked the player out of Manchester United in front of his team-mates.
Amorim held a team meeting at Carrington on Saturday in which it emerged he opened the door for the unhappy Argentina winger to leave Old Trafford this summer.
But Confidential has learned Amorim was so angry that he effectively told Garnacho to hope to God he can find another club rather have to return to United for pre-season training at the start of July.
‘You better pray that you can find a club to sign you,’ said Amorim in a way that left Garnacho, 20, and his team-mates in no doubt that the player’s United career is over. The club said they would not comment on private dressing-room conversations.
Garnacho and his brother Roberto upset Amorim by complaining that he was given less than 20 minutes off the bench in the Europa League final defeat by Tottenham in Bilbao.
‘Obviously it’s hard for everyone,’ said Garnacho at the San Mames. ‘Our season was s***. We didn’t beat anyone in the league. We lacked a lot of things. When you don’t score goals, you always need more.
Ruben Amorim warned Alejandro Garnacho to ‘pray’ he can find a new club this summer as he effectively kicked the player out of Manchester United in front of his team-mates
Garnacho and his brother Roberto upset Amorim by complaining that he was given less than 20 minutes off the bench in the Europa League final defeat by Tottenham in Bilbao
Chelsea have long-standing interest in Garnacho – and now know that United have no option but to sell him
‘Until we reached the final, I played every round. And I played 20 minutes today – I don’t know. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.’ Garnacho’s brother also accused Amorim of ‘throwing him under the bus’.
The United boss attended a board meeting in Monaco on Friday, when he was presumably given the blessing of his employers to axe Garnacho, and then held a belated press conference on Saturday lunchtime after the club were given special dispensation by the Premier League.
Asked about the situation, Amorim told the media that ‘everything I have to say, I say it to the players’. By then, however, he had already told Garnacho to go.
Although the player has joined United’s post-season tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong, there are concerns that Amorim’s stance may have devalued him.
United value Garnacho at between £60-70million but any bidders – Napoli and Chelsea have long-standing interest – now know the club have no option but to sell him.
Cunha’s already an Amorim fan
It was brave of Matheus Cunha to face up to an interview with the Portuguese media and not expect to be asked about Amorim and United.
Cunha waved goodbye to Wolves over the weekend and then spoke to CNN Portugal where he was asked about an expected move to Old Trafford.
Asked if he had spoken to Amorim, Cunha changed tack. ‘Talking about him is easy, I think he’s a great coach and I wish him nothing but the best,’ the Wolves forward said. ‘I hope he conquers the world as he did Portugal.’
Cunha waved goodbye to Wolves over the weekend and then spoke to CNN Portugal where he was asked about an expected move to Old Trafford and working with Ruben Amorim
Cunha is set to take the No 10 shirt at United after agreeing terms over a five-year contract with the option of an additional year
Conquer the world together at Manchester United? ‘Well, God willing, we’ll always do our best to help.’
Cunha is set to take the No 10 shirt after agreeing terms over a five-year contract with the option of an additional year.
United have yet to activate the £62.5m clause in Cunha’s contract, which has to be paid in three instalments of £20.85m over two years, but the hope inside Old Trafford is that this deal can be sealed before the end of May. Then, let the conquering of the world begin…
Staff face the music
Not all the staff leaving United in the next few weeks are going as part of the redundancy programme, as the reduction in staff numbers under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos hits 450.
Highly-respected director of partnerships Liam MacManus, who has been involved in face-to-face conversations with staff whose jobs are at risk as part of the latest round of 200 job cuts, has decided that now is the right time to say goodbye to Old Trafford as well.
His next career move could be an interesting one given that he is the brother of Elvis Costello. MacManus used to be a professional musician himself which is hardly surprising given his family ties to Liverpool fan Costello, real name Declan MacManus.
After performing between 1996 and 1999, Liam was a media planner before going back into music and teaching for seven years. He returned to the business world in 2008 and was a big-hitter for advertising firm WPP in the US, working with clients like Nike before joining United in 2020.
MacManus has been in a key figure in the partnerships department, but following the arrival of Marc Armstrong from Paris Saint-Germain as United’s new chief business officer he decided not to stay as part of the new setup. MacManus, who is said to be leaving on good terms, is now expected to take up another senior role in the industry – but hasn’t ruled out picking up his guitar again in future.
United’s Carreras bonus
A significant windfall could be coming United’s way if Alvaro Carreras completes a £42m return to Real Madrid
Carreras played for Madrid’s youth teams from 2017 to 2020 before moving to Manchester
After missing out on a £100m Champions League windfall, United need all the money they can get and a significant windfall could be coming their way if Alvaro Carreras completes a £42m return to Real Madrid.
The 22-year-old left back is set to move to the Bernabeu from Benfica this summer – joining new coach Xabi Alonso and playing alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold – and United are in line to bank a significant bonus from the deal.
They initially signed Carreras from Madrid when he was a teenager in 2020, and he made 47 appearances for the club’s Under 21s before leaving on loan for Preston and then Granada.
United cut short his loan in Spain in January of last year and Carreras spent the second half of the season at Benfica who exercised an option to sign him for £5m last summer.
It included a sell-on clause which entitled United to a sizeable double-digit percentage above £5m, and it will pay off handsomely when the Spaniard rejoins Madrid on a five-year contract.
The club have begun putting similar clauses into many of the deals for their young players in recent years, so this won’t be the last time United cash in some smart business.
Fans share Whiteside’s pain
United may have ended the season with a win over Aston Villa, but the final day was marred by an anti-Glazer march outside Old Trafford and protests in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand over plans to relocate fans to make way for hospitality areas and a VIP dugout club.
Supporters, many of whom have been sat in those seats for decades, held up placards in the direction of club executives to get their message across.
United fans protest against the Glazers before the win over Aston Villa last Sunday
Fans are upset at rising prices and the forced relocation of season-ticket holders
It emerged last week that Norman Whiteside – United’s FA Cup final hero 40 years ago this month – will not be renewing his season ticket after his wife Denise revealed they had been ‘forcibly relocated’.
Confidential has heard from another loyal supporter who has spelled out the problems facing fans being made to find new seats. Rob’s family have held season tickets in the South Stand for more than 50 years, passing them down through generations.
However, they were informed that the seats will no longer be available from next season because they are being used for hospitality purposes.
United promised to call to discuss alternative options but never did. Instead the family were told to log onto the club website and choose new seats.
Because the tickets were in different names, they accessed the system over a two-hour period but were unable to book seats together due to the limited options and restrictions. Rob decided not to renew and his request to have one of his brother’s tickets transferred into his name was refused by the club.
He tells us: ‘This situation highlights a total disregard for the loyalty and commitment of long-standing supporters. The lack of communication, consultation, and basic respect shown by the club is disgraceful.
‘It feels as though the club is intentionally pushing out its most loyal fans to make way for hospitality packages and short-term profits, sacrificing tradition and community in the process.
‘Manchester United is nothing without its supporters. We have stood by the club through thick and thin, contributing to the very foundation of its identity and success. Decisions like this – driven by financial gain and made without fan input – are a sad reflection of how far the club has drifted from its roots.’
Tug of war for Biancheri
Canada have stolen a march on Wales in the battle for the international allegiance of United youth striker Gabriele Biancheri
Confidential reported last week how Wales boss Craig Bellamy was getting a closer look at United youngster Gabriele Biancheri during a warm-weather training camp.
Well, Wales now find themselves on the back foot after Canada made an ambitious move to win his international allegiance.
Biancheri qualifies for Canada through his mother and Italy through his father. He was born in Wales and all three countries have made pitches to him, although the Italian route is considered the least likely.
But Canada are growing increasingly optimistic that they can win the race for Biancheri after boss Jesse Marsch called him into his senior squad for the 2025 Canadian Shield tournament which kicks off in June.
‘He’s a technically gifted player,’ Marsch told OneSoccer recently. ‘I have talked to him about how he fits in with us and how I think he benefits from the experience of being with us.
‘I think this will be good for Gabe to see overall what the experience is like and then to see how he fits in, because even he and his father asked, “Where do you see Gabe fitting in with your group?”
‘I said to look, the striker position is competitive with us, but he’s still young and I think he could establish himself as a flexible player in the way we play, a little bit like how Jonathan David plays.’
Bellamy and the FA of Wales can now consider themselves on the clock if they want Biancheri for themselves.
Reds hot on £1m Harley
United are leading the chase for highly-rated Southampton centre back Harley Emsden-James
United are leading the chase for highly-rated Southampton centre back Harley Emsden-James, and could sign the teenager for £1m in compensation.
A number of Premier League clubs have been tracking Emsden-James, 16, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, but United are hoping that they have won the race for the England youth international thanks to the influence of technical director Jason Wilcox, who worked for Saints before moving to Old Trafford.
It follows United’s signing of Arsenal teenage centre back Ayden Heaven for £1.5m in compensation in January. Heaven had already made his first-team debut for the Gunners, but to date Emsden-James has only played twice for Southampton in the Under 18s Premier League.
Brandon eyes new start
It will be fascinating to see what comes next for Brandon Williams as he has revealed he is planning to return to football.
The ex-United academy defender, 24, was handed a suspended sentence at Chester Crown Court last week after a driving incident in 2023 where he was clocked at almost 100mph near Cheshire.
He was released by United in 2024 and it appears he is now planning to get his career back on track. ‘I have always accepted that my driving that day fell below the standard that is expected of me,’ he said in a statement via his lawyers on Tuesday.
‘It was never my intention to cause injury to anyone but I am responsible for the standard of my driving. I make no excuses. I have learnt from this experience and will ensure there is no repetition.
‘I wish to apologise again to those who were involved in the accident. Now that the case has concluded I look forward to resuming my career with a new team later this year.’
It will be fascinating to see what comes next for Brandon Williams as he has revealed he is planning to return to football
D-Day for Radek
Plenty of players are expected to leave United this summer, but it is decision time for goalkeeper Radek Vitek.
The 21-year-old said his goodbyes to BW Linz after a fine season in which he helped deliver an historic top-six finish in only their second season in the Austrian Bundesliga.
‘I’m truly grateful for the chance to represent this club – playing in front of such passionate supporters was something special,’ he said.
Back in Manchester, D-day is looming for Vitek and United to decide whether a sale would make sense to help bolster funds to refresh the first-team.
Radek Vitek said his goodbyes to BW Linz after a fine season in which he helped deliver an historic top-six finish in only their second season in the Austrian Bundesliga
Vitek is under contract at United until 2027 but insiders have told Confidential that while his talent is not in question, the emergence of Elyh Harrison in the youth setup, plus the desire to go and get a new goalkeeper this summer, could see Vitek follow a similar path to Matej Kovar.
Kovar was highly rated after joining United’s youth academy in 2018 but he was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in 2023 for a fee up to £7.7m.
Vitek has numerous clubs scouting him on the continent and now United must decide whether he is a player to keep or use to help raise funds.
TRA going alone
Fan group The Red Army (TRA) are coming together to form their own football club made up exclusively of TRA members and United fans.
Joining a Saturday morning league in Manchester with kick offs at 10:30am – so the players can ensure they make matches at Old Trafford – the TRA have invited applications from its members.
For more details, see here.
Kuala Lumpur quiz
For a bit of fun, see if you can fill in the blanks of the starting XI the last time Manchester United played in Malaysia, way back in 2009.
United XI: GOALKEEPER; Neville, Brown, Evans, LEFT BACK; RIGHT WING, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs; Owen, STRIKER
Good luck… (answers will be at the bottom of this article)
Can you remember who partnered Michael Owen up front in the 2009 match against Malaysia?
Gary Neville also started that day – but who was the other full back for United?
Our end-of-season awards
United may have cancelled their awards dinner to save face – and money – but Confidential feels it’s only right to mark our last edition of the season by recognising the standout people and moments of the 2024-25 campaign. Chris Wheeler and Nathan Salt give their votes …
Manager of the season
CW: Ruud van Nistelrooy. The former United striker performed better in the dugout than either Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim during his caretaker spell in the autumn, winning three and drawing one of his four games in charge. United also scored 11 goals, conceding only three. Given how the season turned out, any thoughts that Van Nistelrooy should have been given the job on a permanent basis are tempered by the fact that he went on to take Leicester down, losing 19 of his 27 games.
NS: Adam Lawrence. I can’t realistically choose one from the first team, can I? The Under 18s had a brilliant campaign and only narrowly lost out on both the league and in the FA Youth Cup, where they lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners Aston Villa. Player development was obvious under Lawrence and his departure will be keenly felt.
Player of the season
CW: Bruno Fernandes, who else? The United captain carried his team for much of the season with 19 goals and 20 assists. It’s frightening to think what would have happened without him – or how United will cope if he takes the money and runs off to Saudi Arabia this summer.
NS: Bruno Fernandes. No player across any age level at United has had to put the team on their back quite like Fernandes. Selling him, even with the mammoth amount of money on the table, would be an absolute travesty.
Goal of the season
CW: Harry Maguire’s header in the miraculous Europa League comeback against Lyon. Sure, United have scored better goals this season – not too many mind – but Maguire’s late, late effort from Casemiro’s cross beats them all for sheer drama. It wasn’t a bad header either.
Harry Maguire’s miraculous winning goal against Lyon was a rare bright moment this season
Jaydan Kamason scored a stunner to force extra time against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup
NS: Jaydan Kamason vs Arsenal Under 18s. Confidential was one of a handful of United reporters down at the Emirates Stadium on a cold Friday night at the start of the year for the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals when Kamason scored a stunner to force extra time. One of the best games we have been to all season long and a truly sublime strike with seconds left of the game to keep United in it.
Quote of the season
CW: We have a tie. Ruben Amorim’s admission that ‘we are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United’ after a defeat to Brighton in January set the bar pretty high. But Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s doomsday prediction in March that the club could have ‘gone bust by Christmas’ was equally jaw-dropping.
NS: Gary Neville. He loves a soundbite does Neville but he wasn’t far wrong when he eviscerated United with this line: ‘You are watching the worst pound-for-pound football team in the country.’ Hard to disagree.
QUIZ ANSWERS: Ben Foster, Fabio da Silva, Zoran Tosic, Federico Macheda
