Ruben Amorim previously revealed the supposed ‘test’ players must pass before Manchester United register interest in them.
Amorim, 40, has been notably candid throughout Manchester United’s pre-season, which saw them dominate the US-based Premier League Summer Series with victories over West Ham, Bournemouth, and Everton.
Speaking recently, the Portuguese coach revealed he often approached games during the 2024/25 campaign with a sense of unease, anticipating his team might underperform.
“Honestly, the hardest part wasn’t how I felt after the matches — it was how I felt before them,” Amorim told BBC Sport earlier this week.
“There were times I went into games already knowing we might struggle.”
He added:
“The challenges we faced during those matches were things I had already sensed beforehand. That made it even more frustrating — going into games feeling like we weren’t going to be truly competitive.”
After a disappointing campaign that saw Manchester United finish 15th in the Premier League and lose the Europa League final to Tottenham, the club is aiming for a major turnaround this season.
To aid that revival, new signings like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and rising talent Diego Leon have been brought in. Meanwhile, RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško has emerged as another top target, with both United and Newcastle locked in a battle for his signature.
The 22-year-old Slovenian forward has reportedly expressed a preference for either club, with German outlet BILD suggesting he views them as his top two choices.
According to The Athletic, Newcastle submitted an improved offer of €80 million on Monday — following an earlier bid of €75 million plus €5 million in add-ons. A day later, the same outlet reported that Manchester United matched the total value with an offer of €75 million plus €10 million in performance-based bonuses. Leipzig has yet to respond to either proposal.
As the race for Šeško intensifies, it appears he may have already passed a new kind of test set by United boss Rúben Amorim.
While speaking to the press during United’s pre-season tour in Chicago, Amorim revealed a fresh approach to recruitment, focused not just on talent — but on personality.
“It’s a crucial part of our process now,” Amorim said.
“Yes, their footballing ability is vital — that’s their job — but character matters just as much. We spend a lot of time getting to know the players and speaking with the people around them before any signing. That’s now a fundamental rule for us.”
Whether Šeško ends up in Manchester or Tyneside, one thing is clear — his next move is likely to shape the future of either club’s attacking line.
