Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes revealed that he is hoping for “one or two” more summer signings in a painfully brutal review of the club’s recruitment drive this summer.
The Red Devils have spent around £130 million ($172.8 million) on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to bolster a listless attack. Teenage fullback Diego León also joined up with the squad this summer but United are thought to remain in the market for a new centre forward, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško billed as the leading target. Finances, however, are tight given the lack of any revenue from competing in European competitions.
Mbeumo and Cunha both started alongside Fernandes in a 2–2 friendly draw with Everton to conclude United’s pre-season tour of the U.S. on Sunday evening. In the aftermath of what he described as a “lazy” performance, the club captain delivered a blunt appraisal of the squad.
“It’s improving,” he told assembled reporters. “But it’s not the place it needs to be. I don’t want to take a dig at anyone but the club is doing the best they can in terms of the financial situation they talk about.
“But it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here, more quality to get everyone to step up a little more to get to the XI, and I think that is what the club are trying to do.
“Hopefully we can get one or two players more to help with that.”
United have reportedly been trying to offload the likes of Rasmus Højlund and Alejandro Garnacho in an attempt to raise funds for more recruits. Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City have all considerably outspent United this summer after finishing well above the Red Devils in last season’s Premier League table.
Despite the limited additions, Ruben Amorim has struck a largely positive tone while watching his side go unbeaten throughout the Stateside tour. “If we were in a different moment, I would be more concerned about that [more signings],” the Portuguese boss told BBC Sport over the weekend.
“I’m just focused on what we need to improve here. I’m really happy with the players that we bought because they proved [themselves] in the Premier League. I’m not concerned about the physical aspect, and I’m really happy with the character.
“We didn’t want to finish in this way. Our performance wasn't the best and we were a little bit lazy today. We want to avoid that because with laziness you can pay at any moment.”
When faced with Fernandes’s scathing comments on Sunday, Amorim shrugged them off as a positive. “I think I’m happy for the players to have that feeling,” he claimed. “It’s saying that they understand the situation. So, it’s a good feeling.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bruno Fernandes Fires Bold Transfer Demand After ‘Lazy’ Man Utd Display.