Sporting's Ruben Amorim named new Manchester United head coach from mid-November
Now it's official: Amorim is Manchester United's new manager, with a contract signed until 2027.
After a few days of negotiation with Sporting, the English club paid the 10 million euro termination clause to take the Portuguese coach from Alvalade, who will succeed Ten Hag at the helm of the British club. To this agreement is added one million euros as compensation for the failure to fulfil the 30-day notice to activate the clause.
Emanuel Ferro, Adelio Candido, Carlos Fernandes and Jorge Vital, members of Amorim's coaching staff, as well as Paulo Barreira, a sports scientist, are also travelling from Lisbon to Manchester.
The move, however, will only take place after the international break. The coach will lead Sporting in matches against Estrela da Amadora (Liga Portugal), Manchester City (Champions League) and SC Braga (Liga Portugal) before stepping down. Joao Pereira, the current coach of Sporting's B team, looks set to be the man chosen to succeed him in Alvalade.
A former Portuguese international with spells at Belenenses, Benfica and SC Braga, Amorim will have his first experience of coaching abroad. He started coaching at Casa Pia in 2018/19, was at SC Braga in 2019/20 and signed for Sporting in 2020/21. In the years he spent in Alvalade, he won two championships, two cups and the Super Cup.
Sporting said in a statement: " Sporting has reached an agreement with Manchester United FC regarding the terms and conditions of the departure of coach Ruben Amorim, in return for which MUFC will pay Sporting 11,000,000 euros.
"In addition, Sporting SAD will have a benefit of Euro 1,658,000, relating to the cancellation of credit rights, recorded as liabilities and contingent liabilities, as a result of the revocation and renegotiation of contracts relating to intermediation commissions."
United said of their new manager: "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."
At Old Trafford, Amorim will be taking over a giant of the game in turmoil. Without winning the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, United have had a disappointing start to the current season.
Sitting 14th in the Premier League with 11 points (12 less than leaders Manchester City), United have just three points in the Europa League group stage (as a result of three draws) but have qualified for the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
Amorim's debut is expected to come in the league against Ipswich Town away from home, with his first game at Old Trafford scheduled in the Europa League against Bodo/Glimt on November 28th.
