BOMBS AWAY

No excuses now as Ruben unloads his brat pack

- by DAVID McDONNELL

FOR Manchester United, the summer transfer window was as much about clearing the decks as strengthening Ruben Amorim’s squad.

After the arrivals of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, United's focus shifted to offloading Amorim’s ‘Bomb Squad; those players he had exiled and whose futures lay away from Old Trafford - Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia.

While United have made significant financial savings by jettisoning four of those five — Malacia still remains - in terms of wages and also recouped money in transfer and loan fees, they have taken a major hit on Antony, who cost £86m, but who joined Real Betis for just £21.5m.

First out of the door was Rashford, who fell out of favour with Amorim a month into the Portuguese head coach's reign and who spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa.