Ruben Amorim tells Manchester United star 'to learn to play in a different position'

Ruben Amorim has told Alejandro Garnacho he still has work to do if he is to earn a regular role in the Manchester United starting line up under him.

The 20-year-old was one of the first names on the team sheet under previous manager Erik ten Hag but has seen his playing time diminish following the arrival of new head coach Amorim.

Garnacho previously flourished as a left winger in a 4-3-3 system and has struggled to adapt to the new 3-4-2-1 approach that utilises wing-backs and two attacking midfielders behind a lone striker. It is still unclear which role the Argentine would suit best in the new formation, though he featured as one of the attackers during their weekend win over Arsenal in the FA Cup.

The United academy graduate has been linked with a move to Napoli in the January transfer window but Amorim still sees a future for him at Old Trafford, as long as he can adapt to their new tactical demands. "That is clear. He has talent. He needs to learn to play in a different position," Amorim said ahead of the Premier League match against Southampton.

"He needs to play better inside. He improves a lot in the recovering position when he doesn't have the ball. But doing that, sometimes he's not in the right place to make transitions like he was in the past. I prefer to defend and then build up with all the team to reach the final third. He's finding the best way to play in this system. He's improving during training. He started the last game. Let's see tomorrow. I think he changed the way he sees himself."