Ruben Amorim definitively rules OUT Man Utd January exits to leave Kobbie Mainoo & Joshua Zirkzee in transfer limbo

Zirkzee scored in the dire draw against Wolves but was then taken off at half-time, having played his part in the winless visitors' equaliser. The Dutch striker has been a big disappointment since his £34 million ($45m) move from Bologna in the summer of 2024 and he has been the subject of interest from Roma, although the Serie A club are reported to only be interested in taking him on loan rather than on a permanent deal.

Mainoo, who is currently out injured, has not started a single Premier League game all season and has made another request to leave on loan, having asked to leave in August. But with United missing eight players at the moment due to injury and the Africa Cup of Nations, Amorim is not ready to further reduce his already short squad. The coach also appeared to rule out any new signings over the next month.

Amorim told a press conference ahead of facing Leeds on Sunday: "The transfer window is not going to change, we have no conversation to have any change in the squad. There is a process, there is an idea, we are near places of Champions League but we also near eight teams behind us, so let’s focus on the next game." 

Asked directly whether any players had told him they wish to leave, Amorim clarified: "No, none of them. I don’t expect them to come to me to ask [to leave]."

The Red Devils have failed to enter the top five despite the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea slipping up in recent weeks. But at the halfway point of the season they are still in a decent position, being level on 30 points with fifth-placed Chelsea and three off Liverpool. Amorim, however, admitted that his team should be doing better than they are. 

The coach said: "I think we are playing better, when we have the full squad we are clearly attacking better, we’re not good enough in the details, we should have more points. We always want more."

United visit historic rivals Leeds on Sunday in what will be Amorim's first trip to Elland Road. There is deep-seated dislike between the two clubs despite them not meeting on many occasions in the 21st century due to Leeds' long spell outside the top flight. The coach is expecting a hostile atmosphere but he insisted the players, including the inexperienced youngsters who he has had to call upon recently such as Bendito Mantato, Shea Lacey and Jack Fletcher, had to rise to the challenge.

The United boss said: "I heard that it’s a big derby, great environment, big rivalry, but every game in Premier League is so tough. It’s one more game, I know it means a lot to the fans but we need to go there and try to win. They have a lot of pace and sometimes we struggle with pace. We prove that we can win any game in any situation in every context. We will try to do that.

"It’s different. I never experienced this one. Different environment, different culture, but the noise is going to be big. It’s hard to compare different cultures, different histories. When you play for Manchester United you need to be ready for everything. You guys have the best league in the world, every game is a lot of draws, you never understand what is going to happen.

"We look to everything, but they [young players] need to be prepared. You can see the squad, it’s impossible to stretch the players we don’t have. I try to put a team ready to cope with that and read the game to help them. They have to be ready. It’s a game in a hostile environment but they need to be ready."