RUBEN Amorim is convinced his summer captures have already made a difference.
Amorim’s pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha saw United splash out more than £130m to land the duo.
GettyRuben Amorim has been pleased with how his summer signings have adapted to life at United[/caption]
And the Portuguese boss has already noticed the impact on the rest of his squad – who know they have a fight on their hands to get in the team.
Amorim is understood to believe that Mbeumo and Cunha have brought a stimulus in terms of both energy and quality which has already rubbed off on their new team-mates.
The United boss was particularly pleased with completing Mbeumo’s capture from Brentford in time for him to join up with the party that jets to the USA on Tuesday, having been fearful that the Bees might play hardball and delay the move from going through.
He put his players through a two and a half hour session as the temperatures rose in Chicago on Wednesday, their first training spell after arriving in Chicago following the eight-hour flight from Manchester.
Another intensive effort followed on Thursday morning, with training starting at 8.30am to avoid the full sauna effect of the heat and humidity that was significant by mid-morning.
United will train at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears NFL side, today before they fly to New York ahead of their Summer Series opener against West Ham tomorrow (Sat).
GettyBryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have impressed their manager[/caption]
FRONT LOADED
Despite that expenditure, Amorim has not ruled out signing a new centre-forward.
Yet it may be another deadline day trolley dash.
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While Marcus Rashford’s loan move to Barcelona has got £16m off the club’s wage bill, with sell-on clauses for previous player sales adding to the pot, PSR concerns are still live.
United retain an interest in Ollie Watkins and Benjamin Sesko, although there is little enthusiasm, at this stage, in helping out Chelsea’s desire to shift Nicolas Jackson – and certainly not at the Blues’ £80m valuation.
But unless United can raise funds – with getting rid of the remaining members of the “Bomb Squad” of Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Tyrrell Malacia – a priority, it seems unlikely that a striker deal will be pushed through any time soon.
United believe Juventus’ interest in Sancho is serious and feel that Garnacho will have suitors in the Prem, although there is an awareness that as effectively forced sellers they might struggle to get their preferred asking price on any of the quartet.
GettyBenjamin Sesko is one of the strikers Man Utd hold an interest in[/caption]
MOUNT EVEREST
Mason Mount has promised the United fans they WILL see the best of him this season.
Mount has been plagued by injuries since his £55m move from Chelsea in 2023, making just 13 Prem starts in two seasons.
But Mount, 26, says a new training module has put him in “a really good place” ahead of the new campaign.
A golf trip to Spain and family break meant he came back “rested” and ready to go for a season that could end in an England recall and a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
Mount explained: “I slowly built up some sessions in the off-season, and that was from the staff here.
“They give us a little schedule to work off and just build up on our training.
“The first message was to rest for the first week or so and then build up and be ready because when we come back to pre-season, we know it’s going to be kicking on and trying to get to the levels as quick as possible.
“We’ve looked at what I need to do in more detail. The small things matter massively in this day and age.
“When you’ve had small setbacks, it’s about how you correct that and how you push on, and I think we’ve done that.”
GettyMason Mount has told Man Utd fans they will see the best of him this season[/caption]
LIFE’S A BEACH
Matheus Cunha made himself at home in true Brazilian style at the start of United’s stint in Chicago.
The £62.5m signing from Wolves grew up in Joao Pessoa, a port city on Brazil’s North East coast and 1500 road miles from Rio.
And Cunha led the United party spotted chilling out in a cafe bar on the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan, just a few minutes’ walk from their city centre hotel.
Cunha and Co were not exactly mobbed in a city that is all about the Bears and the Bulls but United fans asking for autographs were not turned away.
GettyCunha has been enjoying some downtime at a beach bar on Lake Michigan[/caption]
FALL-EN HEROES
One-time Old Trafford chief executive Peter Kenyon promised to “turn the world blue” when he pitched up at Chelsea under Roman Abramovich.
That did not really happen but two decades later United successfully turned one of the globe’s most famous water features red.
A firework display marked the unlikely event as the Niagara Falls on the US-Canadian border were transformed into a flowing carpet in United colours on Wednesday night.
TwitterNiagara Falls was lit up in red and white for Man Utd[/caption]
PITCH PERFECT
Former United and England right-back Wes Brown is earning his corn out here in the US.
Brown, who was declared bankrupt in 2023, is the official “legend” accompanying Ruben Amorim’s squad for the Premier League Summer Series games in New Jersey, Chicago and Atlanta.
And it means the five-times Prem winner, who also picked up two Champions League winners’ medals in his United career, is being sent out for almost non-stop flag waving.
Brown, 45, will be taking part in seven different “fan engagement” events, including throwing the ceremonial first pitch when the Chicago White Sox baseball side host the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.
Then again, Brown was always a versatile player for Fergie.
Willie VassWes Brown is a busy man on United’s pre-season tour[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
