Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has indicated the club may look to sign a new central defender during the summer transfer window.
Speaking to the press ahead of the Europa League final, Amorim provided updates on the injuries affecting key defenders Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt.
Yoro was visibly upset, seen crying as he left the pitch with a foot injury early in the second half against West Ham.
De Ligt, meanwhile, has been sidelined since sustaining an injury against Brentford earlier this month.
These recent knocks, combined with existing injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Ayden Heaven, have once again left Amorim with limited defensive options.
The situation has prompted the Portuguese manager to consider adding another central defender to his potentially extensive list of summer transfer targets.
Amorim stated: “Leny`s situation was similar to Mattha`s. I was thinking about next year, the squad composition, and whether we`d need another player if it`s a long-term injury. That`s my concern. It`s not solely about the final; naturally, I want all players available. But Yoro`s foot issue… he had that problem. My main concern was truly about the upcoming season, the future squad, how we assemble the team. That was my biggest worry. Regardless, the others will be ready for the final.”
When asked about the risk to other players, such as Luke Shaw, Amorim added that it was clear they couldn`t risk several players, especially in certain positions, and resting them was a protective measure.
Discussing the preparation time between the Chelsea match on Friday and the Europa League final against Tottenham next Wednesday, Amorim mentioned he had not yet finalised the starting XI for the final and would take the outcome of the Chelsea game into account.
He explained: “The best preparation is to approach the game as we should – to win, to perform… The only way I know how to prepare for a final is to treat our regular league game the same way. We need to focus on recovery. The best way to prepare for the final is to play the game, and then the players must understand that whether they play against Chelsea or not means nothing for the final. That`s crucial. My focus is solely on preparing for the Chelsea game. We want to win and perform. I don`t know [the final lineup] yet. I know the starting XI I`m considering for Chelsea, and then I will see. The performance against Chelsea will be important for the next match.”
