Ruben can see him for the fraud that he is. Ruben has identified the perfect replacement for him from Sporting” – Rio Ferdinand has claimed that Ruben Amorim is already facing a major challenge with Manchester United’s £72 million star. According to Ferdinand, the incoming United manager may have to make tough decisions regarding this high-profile player early in his tenure.

Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand believes new manager Ruben Amorim may already be grappling with a potential challenge surrounding Rasmus Hojlund and United’s striker situation.

Amorim was confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s successor after a week of negotiations with Sporting Lisbon, with the Portuguese manager set to officially take over on November 11 following three more games with Sporting.

One of Amorim’s primary objectives upon arrival will be to boost a United side that has managed only eight goals in nine Premier League matches this season—only Crystal Palace and bottom-ranked Southampton have scored fewer.

Hojlund, who joined United for £72 million from Atalanta in 2023, had a strong debut season, scoring 16 goals in 43 matches. However, injuries have limited him to just 390 minutes this season, although he recently found the net in United’s 2-1 win over Brentford.

Ferdinand commented on his YouTube channel, suggesting that Hojlund could benefit under Amorim’s guidance, pointing to Amorim’s success with Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting.

Ferdinand also speculated that Amorim might look to bring Gyokeres, who has scored 59 goals and provided 19 assists for Sporting since moving from Coventry, to United, raising questions about Hojlund’s role if a new forward joins.

According to Ferdinand, “It’s going to be a big issue. Big, big decisions to be made over the coming months.”

Rio Ferdinand’s thoughts highlight an intriguing scenario for Ruben Amorim as he prepares to take over as Manchester United manager. Amorim inherits a United team struggling offensively, having scored only eight goals in nine Premier League games—an issue the club hopes he can quickly address. Given Amorim’s success with Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting Lisbon, who has excelled with 59 goals and 19 assists since leaving Coventry, Ferdinand believes Amorim could bring a similar boost to United’s attack.

However, this raises questions about the role of Rasmus Hojlund. Although Hojlund had an impressive first season with 16 goals, injuries have hindered his contributions this season. His recent goal against Brentford shows his potential, but if Amorim were to pursue a player like Gyokeres, it might spark competition for the striker role. This decision could be critical in shaping United’s attack, and Ferdinand suggests Amorim will need to make careful choices regarding Hojlund’s position and the team’s overall forward structure.

Amorim’s approach to this challenge will likely set the tone for his tenure, balancing Hojlund’s development with the possibility of adding new talent to revitalize United’s struggling attack.