Manchester United chiefs are reportedly expecting the Red Devils to finish in the top six in the Premier League next season.
The 20-time English champions have had a disastrous 2024-25 Premier League season, picking up only 39 points from their 36 matches, which has left them down in 16th spot in the table, one point above 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
The Red Devils lost for the 17th time in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, going down 2-0 at home to West Ham United, and they could have been in serious relegation trouble had Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton not all struggled this term.
Man United have just 10 Premier League wins to their name this term, and they are some 24 points off sixth-placed Aston Villa, while the team are 44 points behind the champions Liverpool.
A hugely difficult campaign could still end on a positive note, though, with Ruben Amorim's side preparing to tackle Tottenham in the final of the Europa League next week, and a victory in that match would bring Champions League football for next term.
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Man United 'set their sights' on a top-six finish
According to the Manchester Evening News, Amorim has been set the task of securing a top-six finish next season, with senior futures at the club expecting a strong challenge for the Champions League positions in 2025-26.
Amorim has only managed to secure six wins from his 25 Premier League matches in charge, but his success in the Europa League has meant that pressure has not particularly been placed on him.
Man United will allegedly not consider sacking Amorim even if the team fail to win the Europa League final, with the Portuguese set to be backed during this summer's transfer window.
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Is a top-six finish a realistic target for Man United?
It is obvious that major improvement is needed if Man United are to finish in the top half next season let alone the top six.
There will be huge changes in their squad this summer, with as many as three attackers expected to arrive, including Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Cunha, who is the team's leading target in the final third of the field.
Ipswich's Liam Delap and Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo could also join the club, which would significantly boost the options available to Amorim, who wants to bring more pace and power to his attack.
Man United will conclude their 2024-25 Premier League campaign with fixtures against Chelsea and Aston Villa, but their season rests on the Europa League final against Tottenham next Wednesday.
A top-six finish is realistic with improvements to the squad this summer, and Amorim will be under major pressure if he is unable to oversee a change of fortunes during the 2025-26 campaign.
Matt Law
