Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has been tasked with steadying the ship at Old Trafford after a turbulent 18 months under Erik ten Hag prior to his dismissal.
Inconsistent performances and frequent injury crises made it difficult for the Dutchman to ever build a strong foundation to build from following a promising debut campaign in England.
The Red Devils' injury woes continued into the new campaign, with as many as eight first-team absentees at the time of his dismissal.
Manchester United facing competition for Bayern Munich star
The Old Trafford outfit have been hit particularly hard in midfield over recent months, with Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount struggling of late while new signing Manuel Ugarte took a short while after signing to regain full fitness.
Pair this with the ageing pair of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen both edging closer to the exit door and it becomes clear that Amorim will be tasked with recruiting a new midfielder either in January or the summer.
According to reports in Germany, Manchester United are eyeing long-term target Leon Goretzka to fill the void, hoping to bring an end to years of speculation.
The Bayern Munich midfielder has been slowly phased out of the plans in Bavaria, made worse by the arrival of manager Vincent Kompany, having made more than 25 Bundesliga appearances twice in the last five seasons.
The German international's current deal expires in 2026, making a 2025 move increasingly likely as Bayern looks to make some kind of financial return on their player before he inevitably leaves on a free the year after.
However, reports claim United face strong competition from Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin for the midfielder's signature after club director Horst Heldt confirmed their interest.
“It is known that his current situation isn’t easy. He’ll obviously think about his future. Any club can imagine having Leon Goretzka. We can also imagine that very, very well,” Heldt told German outlet Bild.
United and Bayern Munich hold a positive relationship after the double signing on Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui over the summer.
