Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has provided clarity on the gradual introduction of Bryan Mbeumo into the squad during their pre-season tour in the United States. Despite being part of the touring group—a notable distinction from several players not involved—Mbeumo is not expected to feature in the upcoming friendly matches, including the game against Bournemouth next week.

“Bryan is starting slowly,” Amorim explained in an interview with MUTV. “He is not going to play in the next one. We hope to have Bryan in the last game [in the U.S.]. He’s training now, so we’ll see.”

United’s American tour will conclude with a match against Everton at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, August 3, which could mark Mbeumo’s debut for the club. Following this, the Red Devils face another friendly against Fiorentina before commencing their Premier League campaign in a challenging fixture against Arsenal on August 17.

Looking beyond these immediate fixtures, Amorim emphasised the ongoing competition for starting roles within the squad. Reflecting on Saturday’s friendly, he stated, “It’s a strong team and we need to prepare all the players, and we don’t have a lot of weeks or a lot of games to prepare all the team. That can change, you saw in the second half, there are players who can play in the first game. It’s not a decision I made already.”

This cautious approach underlines the manager’s intent to carefully manage player readiness while maintaining healthy competition as the team aims to hit the ground running in the new season.

Ruben Amorim expressed satisfaction with Manchester United’s pre-season preparations as the club aims to recover from a difficult 2024–25 season. Since his arrival in early November to replace Erik ten Hag, Amorim has faced challenges implementing his tactical approach due to limited training time and ongoing midweek European fixtures. This summer, free from major international tournaments, has allowed for extensive work on the pitch. “We, as a team, need more time on the pitch, not just for the physical or tactical aspect, but the bond between [the players]. You build that during the week, with time on the [training] pitch. So, I’m really happy with that,” said Amorim.

For the first time since the 2014–15 campaign, Manchester United will not compete in European football. Mason Mount, who joined from Chelsea in 2023, underscored the importance of reclaiming a UEFA competition spot. “Europe is a massive, massive thing for us,” he said during the first pre-season tour in Chicago. “The Champions League would be amazing for us and as a group we want to be playing in that competition. But I’d say Europe. I think that’s the focus.”

Mount has battled injury setbacks since joining United, missing 23 games last season and 27 the season before. However, he returned strongly at the close of last term, making a full run of appearances in April and May. “At the end of last season, getting back and feeling really, really good, playing some games and scoring some goals was obviously very important for me,” Mount reflected. “I still want to kick on. Any time you do get that opportunity to be on the pitch, you want to do something, you want to affect the game. That’s always the way I’ve looked at it.”

Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke has expressed skepticism over Manchester United’s chances of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League for the 2025–26 season. Speaking on DA4P’s YouTube channel, Solanke provided his predictions for the teams likely to qualify for the Champions League spots.

Solanke confidently included Tottenham first in his top-four forecast, followed by Liverpool and Manchester City. When questioned about Manchester United’s potential to challenge for a Champions League position next term, Solanke simply replied, “nah,” instead opting to include Arsenal as a contender.

This blunt verdict reflects the ongoing struggles faced by the Red Devils, who endured a difficult previous season. While Solanke’s confidence in Tottenham’s qualification might raise some eyebrows—given their 17th-place finish last season—his assessment of Manchester United aligns with widespread doubts about their immediate recovery under Ruben Amorim’s management.

Solanke’s straightforward response underlines the challenges ahead for Manchester United, suggesting the club faces another challenging campaign outside Europe’s elite competition.