Rio Ferdinand has claimed that Ruben Amorim is already facing a major challenge with Manchester United’s £72 million star. According to Ferdinand, the current United manager may have to make tough decisions regarding this high-profile player early in his tenure.
Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United defender, believes new manager Ruben Amorim may already be facing a challenge regarding Rasmus Højlund and the club’s striker options. Amorim, who was officially confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s replacement after lengthy negotiations with Sporting Lisbon, will assume his role on November 11 after managing three more matches for the Portuguese club.
One of Amorim’s most pressing tasks will be to address United’s attacking struggles, as the team has only scored eight goals in nine Premier League games this season. Among all teams, only Crystal Palace and bottom-placed Southampton have recorded fewer goals. Højlund, who arrived from Atalanta for £72 million in 2023, enjoyed a promising debut season with 16 goals in 43 appearances. However, injuries have restricted him to just 390 minutes of play this season, though he recently found the net in United’s 2-1 victory over Brentford.
Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, suggested that Højlund could thrive under Amorim’s management, referencing the success Amorim had with Viktor Gyökeres at Sporting. The former United defender also speculated that Amorim might attempt to bring Gyökeres to Old Trafford, which could raise questions about Højlund’s position in the squad. Since moving from Coventry, Gyökeres has delivered an impressive 59 goals and 19 assists for Sporting, making him a valuable target.
Ferdinand noted that major decisions await Amorim, emphasizing the potential dilemma of integrating a new striker while maximizing Højlund’s contributions. If Gyökeres were to arrive, would Amorim adjust the formation to accommodate both forwards, or would Højlund have to compete for his place? Given United’s ongoing scoring issues, adding another proven goal-scorer seems logical, yet it could complicate matters for the Danish striker.
