Reporter Samuel Luckhurst wrote an article, talking about the current situation of Manchester United youngster Menu in the team. The article believes that Manchester United is unlikely to rent him out in the winter window, and the player himself needs to seize the opportunity to play in the recent period.
Menu has only played 138 minutes in the Premier League this season and started only 16 of the 55 games coached by Amorim. This is in stark contrast to Ten Hag's time, when Menu started 27 of the final 28 games of the 2023-24 season.
Menu was once Ten Hag’s youth training legacy, but now it is in cold storage. He started for England in the 2024 European Cup final, but has not been selected for the national team since September 2024. England boss Tuchel has made it clear that Menu needs more playing time and he currently falls behind Adam Walton and Alex Scott in the national team pecking order.
Menu requested to leave the team on loan in the summer window, but was blocked by Manchester United. Amorim explained that the lack of midweek games has made it difficult for him to rotate. Tactically, Amorim actually regards Menu as a competitor for the captain's B fee, and in the 3-4-2-1 system, it is impossible to win the B fee.
Menu's status has also caused concern. His last appearance was against Brighton on October 25. After he came on as a substitute, the team's 3-0 lead was almost ruined. According to the report, Menu, who was once lively and cheerful, now "often appears depressed."
Ironically, when Menu missed the game against Tottenham due to injury, Manchester United almost broke the record of having an academy player in every game since 1937. Amorim has said he does not want to end the record, and Menu should be worried that he was only included in the squad to maintain the record.
Nonetheless, the possibility of Menu leaving the team on loan in January "seems unlikely". Manchester United are short-handed in the midfield and are about to lose Mbemo, Ahmad and Mazrawi to the African Cup of Nations. The African Cup of Nations starts on December 21, which may be Menu's only chance to return to the lineup.