Manchester United: Ruben Amorim on the futures of Kobe Maino and Joshua Zirkzee

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has not ruled out the departure of Kobe Maino and Joshua Zirkzee in January to further their World Cup ambitions, but says his club’s interests will come first.

Neither player has started a Premier League match this season. Zirkzee has played just 82 minutes in the top flight, while Maino has played 93 minutes since coming on in the first half against Burnley on 30 August.

Both players are known to be unhappy with the situation and, having lost their international places with England and the Netherlands respectively, are keen to secure moves to get regular playing time ahead of next summer’s tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Amorim sympathizes with the duo, but says he will only agree to moves if they are right for United.

“I was a football player,” he said. “I understand everything, and I want to help my players in every situation.

“I understand the frustration some players feel after seeing the World Cup there. I know what that means,” he added.

“But the first thing is that the club comes first. If I can help the club and the players, I will be happy. If not, I have to think about the team.”

Both Maino and Zirkzee could benefit from the injury of striker Benjamin Sisko and the departures of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to next month’s Africa Cup of Nations.

And that’s without the curious case of Matthews Cunha, who pulled out of a planned appearance to turn on the Christmas lights at Altrincham on Saturday due to an injury described by a club source as “minor”.

United are unbeaten in five successive matches heading into Monday’s match against Everton at Old Trafford.

But United’s last two matches were draws at Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, which required a late equalizer after the Amorim side squandered a first-half lead.

For this reason, the former Sporting coach is reluctant to say that the “storm” he predicted in his first days at the club is over.

He added: “I don’t like to say that the storm is over.” “It’s my job, especially at our club, to always have that feeling [that a storm is coming].

“It gives me a sense of urgency in every practice [session] “In the Premier League, everything can change very quickly because all teams can win any match.”