'A lot of pain' - Ruben Amorim sent stark Manchester United transfer window warning

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt believes Ruben Amorim will need four transfer windows to shape his squad and give the club a fighting chance of competing at the top of the Premier League table.

Head coach Amorim, who was appointed as Erik ten Hag's successor last month, oversaw his first defeat on Wednesday night, watching his side lose 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

United, particularly in the first half, competed well with the Gunners, defending well and knocking the ball around confidently. However, their attacking limitations highlighted one their current biggest flaws.

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Amorim, who has overseen two wins, a draw and a defeat in his first four games in charge, has grand plans to restore United to their former glories, making no secret of his plan to give the club an identity again. However, Butt believes United will have to go through "a lot of pain" before the good times eventually return.

"There's going to be a lot of pain," Butt told talkSPORT. "There's going to be some pain coming, it'll continue to come because he has to go and look at the players and he's got to play them.

"So everyone will be going, 'he's not done anything for the last three seasons, why are you giving him a game?' Because this new guy's got to go in, he's got to give the lads a chance, he's got to see what he's got.

"And then he can go to the board and say, 'I don't want that player, pay his contracts up, pay his contracts up, get that player for me, get that player for me' and he can start building his own.

"And it's