MANCHESTER, England – Manchester United have named Portuguese Ruben Amorim as head coach to replace Erik ten Hag, the Premier League club said on Friday, hoping one of Europe’s brightest young managers can restore the struggling team to former glories.
The 39-year-old will join United on Nov. 11 with a contract until 2027, and a club option for an additional year, once he has fulfilled his obligations to Sporting — a club he revived during his four-and-a-half years in charge.
“Ruben is one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football,” United said in a statement.
“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.
“Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue to take charge of the team until Ruben joins.”
The charismatic Amorim, who usually employs a crowd-pleasing 3-4-3 formation with high pressing and possession-based football, took Sporting to Primeira Liga titles in 2021 and 2024 and they lead the standings again this season.
United, who have been in the doldrums by their standards since manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, moved swiftly to secure Amorim after axing Dutchman Ten Hag on Oct. 28 following another woeful start to the season.
The club agreed to pay 11 million euros ($11.96 million) to trigger a release clause in Amorim’s contract.
He will be United’s youngest manager since 31-year-old Wilf McGuinness succeeded Matt Busby in June 1969.
INTERIM MANAGER
With United languishing 14th in the Premier League, their former player and assistant coach Van Nistelrooy was appointed interim manager, with the Dutchman overseeing a 5-2 League Cup fourth round victory over Leicester City in his first match.
He will in charge for three more games before Amorim arrives — including Sunday’s home league match against Chelsea — and has said he would like to continue at the club.
Amorim’s first United fixture will be a Nov. 24 league game at promoted Ipswich Town, after the international break.
His first home game will be in the Europa League against Norwegian team Bodo/Glimt on Nov. 28, with another Premier League game against Everton at Old Trafford the next weekend.
Amorim, a former midfielder who played for Portugal, becomes United’s sixth permanent manager since their most successful boss Ferguson, who led the club to a record 13 league titles.
“The character and charisma compared to Erik ten Hag will be the big difference,” former United and England defender turned pundit Rio Ferdinand said.
“United need someone with the character and charisma to go ‘You know what? I don’t care what has happened here, I see a player in you.’ You need someone who is going to be like that.”
SOUGHT AFTER
Amorim, whose United staff will be named at a later date, was coveted by several of Europe’s top clubs, including Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Liverpool, when they were in the market for new managers in the close season.
He was hailed as a hero for reviving Sporting after he was appointed in March 2020, the club’s third manager that season, which was a remarkable feat considering his age.
Amorim had just led Braga to League Cup success after two months in charge, and enjoyed 10 wins in 13 games in all competitions, including their first away win in 65 years over Benfica where he spent nine years as a player.
Sporting came calling, signing him for 10 million euros. Amorim instilled the clear identity Sporting lacked and they ended their 19-year league title drought in a remarkable 2020-21 season in which they lost once and won the League Cup.
Last season, they lost just two league games and finished 10 points ahead of second-placed Benfica.
Amorim played professionally for 14 years, mainly as a central midfielder, and featured 14 times for Portugal. He made his senior first-team debut for Belenenses in Portugal’s first division in 2003 before signing for Benfica in 2008.
He retired in 2017 aged 32 after over a year without playing having torn knee ligaments and enrolled in management courses.
Amorim is no stranger to Old Trafford, having done an internship under then-United boss Jose Mourinho in 2018, and has called the Portuguese coach a “reference point” in his career.
His laid back demeanour means he is well liked by the media.
Amorim already has a fan at United in their captain, Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who said this month: “Since Mr Amorim arrived at Sporting, it has been one of the teams to play the best football.
“Sporting went 20 years without winning championships and Amorim arrived and has already won two, this shows that the work has been done well.”
($1 = 0.9206 euros)
(Reuters)