Ruben Amorim 'cancels Man United transfer' despite double departure

Latest Manchester United transfer news with an update on the club's search for defensive reinforcements

Ruben Amorim will inform Manchester United's recruitment team that there is no need to sign a new centre-back despite the fact he will lose two first-teamers next season.

Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are both out of contract at the end of June and expected to depart in the summer. That would leave United with Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Lisandro Martinez as their senior central defenders at the club in 2025/26.

Noussair Mazraoui and Luke Shaw are among the others that have been used as part of a back-three and Amorim feels that United do not need anymore defensive reinforcements, according to The Sun.

It's understood the Portuguese head coach is content with the defenders he has available to him and prefers United to be prioritising other areas, including the midfield and attack.

Amorim's decision to stay faithful to the defensive players at United is set to be a massive boost for 18-year-old centre-back Heaven. He has missed the last six matches through injury but is expected to have 'greater responsibility' in 2025/26, having impressed since his January move from Arsenal.

United pulled off a major coup when they managed to sign Heaven and he has not disappointed. Heaven was thrown into the starting XI for the 1-1 draw against Arsenal in March and impressed. Speaking after that game, Amorim suggested Heaven is already "quite complete."

"If he continues like that he is going to play," said Amorim. "Of course he is young and he didn’t play much this season, maybe only 45 minutes for the Under-21s, then a few minutes here and now a full game.

"I really like his confidence. I like his pace, I think he is good in defending the box and I think he is quite complete. But he has a lot of work to do in the Premier League. We will face a different kind of player and he will be tested in a different kind of way, so we are trying to manage all of this because he is still really young."

Unfortunately for United, Heaven has not featured since the 3-0 win against Leicester in March after going off with a foot problem. He is, however, anticipated to be back before the end of the season.

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