Man Utd news: Reason Ruben Amorim request was rejected and how club completely wasted £138m

View 3 Images

After a weekend off, Manchester United are gearing up for a return to Premier League action against one of their rivals for Champions League football. United host Aston Villa on Sunday with the teams locked together on 51 points in third and fourth, respectively.

Both sides will be looking to bounce back from defeats in their last league games, United at Newcastle and Villa at home to Chelsea . The fact United are in the race for a Champions League spot is a testament to the work done by interim boss Michael Carrick, who has galvanised the squad since the sacking of Ruben Amorim.

Whether it will be enough to land Carrick the job permanently this summer could hinge on whether he secures a return to UEFA's top club competition. Mirror Football brings you a round-up of the latest news from Old Trafford…

FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

The squad Carrick inherited could have looked very different had Amorim got his way in the transfer market. The Portuguese coach had wanted proven signings who could hit the ground running, reports Manchester Evening News.

The likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo arrived as established Premier League performers, but the same could not be said of two other signings, goalkeeper Senne Lammens and striker Benjamin Sesko. Amorim wanted experienced Villa pair Emiliano Martinez, 33, and Ollie Watkins, 30.

However, with Ineos and director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, favouring young players who can potentially offer a decade of service, Amorim didn't get all the targets he craved. That now looks like a wise move with Lammens providing the calmness in goal United desperately needed and Sesko starting to live up to his price tag.

View 3 Images

While last summer's transfer business is looking increasingly shrewd, previous decisions continue to bite the club. Take Jadon Sancho. It's been 18 months since the £73m signing last played for United.

Now on loan at Villa, he is barred from playing against his parent club on Sunday. Sancho will finally be cut loose when his lucrative contract expires in the summer.

While United will have made some money back via loan fees from Borussia Dortmund , Chelsea and Villa, who will have also contributed to his wages, the Daily Mail estimates Sancho has cost United a total of £138m, including the transfer fee.

In another sobering stat for the Old Trafford bean counters, Sancho has played more times for his loan clubs than for United, with 83 appearances, 12 goals and just six assists.

View 3 Images

United are set to be without Lisandro Martinez against Villa after the defender suffered a fresh setback in training. The centre-back revived his partnership with Harry Maguire in the first five games of Carrick's reign, settling back into the side after 10 months on the sidelines with a cruciate ligament injury.

The Argentina international picked up a calf issue in training last month, which saw him sit out the wins over Everton and Crystal Palace and the loss at Newcastle . Now, he has suffered a 'slight reaction' on his return to training, ruling him out of the Villa game. In his absence, Leny Yoro is set to keep his place alongside Maguire .

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.