Manchester United have finally confirmed the appointment of Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim as the new manager at Old Trafford.
United sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday following a dismal start to the season, and immediately opened talks with the 39-year-old Amorim about replacing the Dutchman. The club were willing to pay a €10m release clause to sign their top target before encountering issues over further compensation to acquire Amorim’s assistant coaches, leading the appointment to drag out all week.
But after striking a deal, Amorim will now leave Sporting CP following four years in charge, having won two league titles to end the club’s 19-year wait, and with the Sporting top of the Primeira Liga having won each of their first nine games.
The 39-year-old will join United on Monday 11 November, meaning his first game in charge will be away to Ipswich on 24 November, after the international break. He has joined until June 2027 with a club option of an additional year and Ruud van Nistelrooy will stay in interim charge until the Portuguese arrives, having led the side to a 5-2 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester in midweek.
The former Benfica midfielder built a reputation as one of the brightest young managers in Europe after restoring calm and glory to the chaotic Sporting he inherited, not unlike the mission he faces now. United lie 14th in the Premier League after nine games, and 21st in the Europa League table having failed to win any of their opening three European fixtures.
In a short statement on the club website, the Red Devils confirmed the appointment, saying: “Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach of the men’s first team, subject to work visa requirements.
“Ruben is one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football. Highly decorated as both a player and coach, his titles include winning the Primeira Liga twice in Portugal with Sporting CP; the first of which was the club’s first title in 19 years.”
Amorim is United’s seventh managerial appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, as the club continue to search for that elusive 21st league title.
He learnt from one of those managers, spending a week in Manchester shadowing Jose Mourinho as part of his coaching studies. However, Amorim’s footballing principles are quite different, with an emphasis on aggressive pressing and attacking play as well as a preference for a 3-4-3 formation.
United have two Portuguese players in captain Bruno Fernandes and defender Diogo Dalot, while Amorim also reunites with his former midfielder at Sporting, Manuel Ugarte.
“I think all the qualities are there to be able to succeed in English, French, or Spanish football,” Fernandes told SportTV last year, when asked about Amorim’s future. “Obviously, we know that the Premier League is probably the most desired. The qualities [to succeed in England] are there and he has everything to take the next step, in my opinion.”
Amorim is the club’s first managerial appointment since Ineos took charge of football operations at Old Trafford, after acquiring a minority stake in the club in February.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe restructured the hierarchy, bringing in cycling guru Sir Dave Brailsford to oversee the project. Omar Berrada arrived from Manchester City to take up the role of chief executive officer, while Dan Ashworth was poached from Newcastle United to become the club’s sporting director.
The new leadership team initially backed Ten Hag as manager, but pressure grew amid a string of poor performances last season which culminated in an eighth placed finish in the Premier League.
Ten Hag saved his job with a shock victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final and earnt a one-year contract extension, along with some £200m of investment in the playing squad.
But Ineos’s courting of alternatives was widely reported, and the writing was on the wall following a poor start to the 2024/25 campaign which included home thrashings at the hands of Liverpool and Tottenham.
Credit: The Independent UK
