Ruben Amorim has defended Manchester United’s decision to sell Anthony Elanga to Nottingham Forest, despite the winger scoring the decisive goal against his former club in a 1-0 defeat at The City Ground. The loss, which came on Tuesday night, was another blow to Manchester United’s faltering season, but Amorim, who is now in charge at Forest, explained that the decision to let Elanga go was one that made sense at the time.
Elanga, who had struggled to make a lasting impact at Manchester United, was sold to Nottingham Forest in 2023 under Erik ten Hag’s management. Ten Hag felt that the young winger, despite his promise, was not meeting the expectations set for him. However, the match against Manchester United offered a glimpse of what Elanga could do, as he scored the only goal of the game, helping Forest secure all three points.
For Amorim, the situation with Elanga is emblematic of the challenges young players face at a club like Manchester United. He explained that there is an immense amount of pressure on players at top clubs, and sometimes that pressure leads to decisions that may not always be fair to the individual. According to Amorim, in such environments, players are not always given enough time to develop and reach their full potential.
“There is a lot of pressure at Manchester United,” Amorim said, emphasizing the difficulty of developing players in such a high-stakes atmosphere. “You don’t get the time you need to see if they can fully realize their potential.” He added that the speed at which decisions are made in top clubs can often lead to players being judged too quickly, without being allowed the space to grow.
Elanga’s performance in the match against Manchester United highlighted the potential that some saw in him when he first joined the club. However, Amorim suggested that it’s not just about individual talent, but about finding the right balance in a team that can support young players’ development. He pointed to other players who had been loaned out or sold by Manchester United in recent seasons, including Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Jadon Sancho, as examples of talents who didn’t get the time to fully prove themselves in the intense environment at Old Trafford.
Amorim noted that these players were once considered key figures at Manchester United but, like Elanga, struggled to secure their place in the team. The immense pressure on coaches and players at a club like Manchester United, he said, often leads to hasty decisions in an effort to achieve immediate success.
“The players who were sold or loaned out had their chance,” Amorim said. “But sometimes football is like that. The pressure to deliver at Manchester United is enormous, and sometimes it’s too much for young players to handle.”
Amorim’s comments reflect the broader challenges faced by young players at big clubs, where the spotlight is always on them, and expectations can be overwhelming. In these circumstances, it becomes difficult for coaches to take risks on developing players who might need more time to adjust. Instead, clubs often look to replace them with more experienced talents, hoping for immediate results.
The pressure cooker environment at Manchester United has been evident this season, with the team struggling to live up to expectations. Currently languishing in 13th place in the Premier League with just 37 points from 26 games, the club’s season has been marked by inconsistency, with only 10 wins and 13 defeats. As the club looks to rebuild, Amorim’s comments about player development serve as a reminder of the fine balance between nurturing young talent and achieving immediate results in a high-pressure environment.
