Ruben Amorim and his coaching staff will soon be back at Carrington as Manchester United begin pre-season preparations for the 2025/26 campaign.
After a dire 2024/25 season wrapped up by a Europa League final defeat in Bilbao, United finished 15th in the Premier League.
That outcome means a second straight year without Champions League football; and David May has already called on Amorim to get United back into European competition.
Changes are already underway. Matheus Cunha has joined from Wolves and the club are pushing to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. Both forwards scored at least 15 goals in the Premier League last term and are expected to bolster United’s attack.
Meanwhile, philanthropy are working to move players who no longer fit Amorim’s plans. Marcus Rashford, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, is keen on a move to Barcelona, though Bayern Munich are also interested.
For former players, watching this decline is difficult. Juan Mata, now with Western Sydney Wanderers, hopes things will improve and is backing one current player to lead the way.
Juan Mata was in Manchester this week to co-curate the ‘Football City, Art United’ exhibition and spoke to ManUtd.com about Fernandes’ importance.
“I love Bruno,” Mata said. “We speak a lot and, you know, I’m trying to always be there for him. When you are winning and everything is going well, it is easy to be surrounding him. When things are not going well, ‘it is there I try to be there for him.
“So, I really hope that, next season, he scores 40 goals and he gets 40 assists, and is the MVP [most valuable player] of the league!
“And he can, you know, keep doing what he’s doing because I think he’s instrumental for the present and for the future of the club.”
Mata outlines three reasons to trust Ruben Amorim
Mata, now a player in the A-League, was clear about where he thinks improvement needs to come from this season.
“Well, first of all, I hope that everyone can play good and everyone can bring the club to what I believe it deserves to be,” Mata said at Aviva Studios in Manchester.
“Of course, it has been in a tough season and everyone was really excited about the [Europa League] final. And I was as sad as everyone with the final result.
“But I think and I really hope that next season is going to be better. I think the team is good. I think the coach has just barely arrived and I wish him the best.
“He is young, he has intensity and passion, and I hope he will do very, very well.”
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