Man Utd news: Ruben Amorim challenges players after brutal Sir Jim Ratcliffe remark

Ruben Amorim is calling on his underperforming Manchester United stars to prove Sir Jim Ratcliffe wrong starting with tonight’s meeting against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford

Manchester United face Real Sociedad on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie with head coach Ruben Amorim calling on his players to prove owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wrong.

After the Ineos chief claimed some players were “overpaid and not good enough” in an interview at the start of the week, Amorim said that everyone is “underperforming” with United languishing 14th in the Premier League.

But the Portuguese, who is close to welcoming back Mason Mount from his latest injury, added: “The focus is to change his mind and change all the people’s minds.”

Here are the big stories from in and around Old Trafford over the past 24 hours.

Mount boost

Mason Mount has made his latest return to Manchester United training in a boost to Ruben Amorim.

The England international is close to being involved after three months out with a hamstring injury sustained in the derby win away to Manchester City in mid-December.

Mount, 26, has spent more time in the treatment room than on the pitch since moving to Old Trafford from Chelsea in the summer of 2023. He has made 32 appearances in all competitions across 19 months, scoring just one goal.

But he was involved in yesterday’s session at Carrington.

Rashford cost

Manchester United could be forced to pay out £20million if Marcus Rashford leaves this summer, with the England star facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford.

Rashford is currently playing for Aston Villa on loan after falling out with Ruben Amorim at United and it appears unlikely he will return to his boyhood club in the summer.

Villa have an option to sign Rashford permanently for £40million if his loan deal is a success, but it is unlikely Unai Emery’s side would be able to pay his huge salary of £325,000-a-week.

While United could end up pocketing £40m for Rashford, the club could end up paying off the rest of his contract to satisfy his demands, which adds up to around £20m.

Stadium ‘challenge’

Sebastian Coe reckons the legacy of Manchester United’s new £2billion stadium can be even bigger than that of the London 2012 Olympics.

Lord Coe played a major role in the successful 2012 Olympics bid and the regeneration of the area around the London Stadium, now home to West Ham. He believes the same effect can happen in the area around Old Trafford, with United’s new state-of-the-art stadium the centrepiece of the regeneration plan – but on an even greater scale.

However Coe also expects there to be challenges around the project.

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