Ruben Amorim makes worrying admission on Man Utd's January transfer budget | OneFootball

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted the Red Devils must sell players in January before they can recruit new faces.

United have tumbled down to 14th in the Premier League standings with just 22 points from 19 games, and so many fans have called for a significant squad overhaul to avoid what Amorim confessed was likely to turn into a "relegation battle".

Unfortunately for those desperate supporters, United are already operating perilously close to their Profit & Sustainability threshold and will not be able to invest in the squad without first raising funds through sales.

"We don't have that possibility [to buy] in January if we don’t take some players [out of the squad]," Amorim confessed. "You know the situation better than me. It is not that I am arriving here and can spend money changing the team."

Amorim has publicly voiced concerns about the current squad's suitability to his system but is unlikely to be given much opportunity to reinforce in January, not least because of the lack of desirable assets in the squad.

The recently reintegrated Marcus Rashford is a clear example of a potential sale but his price tag of £40m, coupled with his mammoth wages, will limit interest in January.

Casemiro has recently been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia but is unlikely to generate a significant fee, while Joshua Zirkzee is reported to be keen to stay and fight for his future despite interest from Serie A.

United are interested in a deal for Paris Saint-Germain left-back Nuno Mendes, who worked with Amorim at Sporting CP, but will not be able to afford the 22-year-old without significant sales first.