What Ruben Amorim told pals about Man Utd appointment process rings alarm bells

Ruben Amorim has already been left ‘exhausted’ by Manchester United – even before taking charge of the team. Amorim has agreed a contract until June 2027, with the option for a further year.

He will begin work at United on Monday, November 11 once he’s overseen Sporting CP’s final two matches next week – including a juicy Champions League clash with Manchester City – before the international break. It was an agonising decision for the former Portugal international, who had planned to stick with Sporting until the end of the season, only to be told it was ‘now or never’ by United.

After being given three days to make up his mind, Amorim eventually decided to take up the challenge of revitalising the beleaguered Red Devils. Amorim was naturally been grilled about his future this week, both before and after the United announcement.

After Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Nacional, with speculation at fever-pitch, the 39-year-old confided in the friends that the experience had left him exhausted, reports The Athletic. Meanwhile, long-time colleagues described him as not looking his usual self.

Amorim faced the media for the first time since his appointment by United was confirmed following Friday’s 5-1 win over Estrela da Amadora. He explained: “The season started, we know that we started very well and then this situation with Manchester United came.

“Manchester United appear, they pay above the compensation clause and the president defends the club’s interests. I never discussed anything with the president about this bargaining.

“The only request I made was for it to be at the end of the season and I was told that it wasn’t possible. It was now or never, or Manchester would go for another option.

“So, I had three days to make my mind up, to make a decision that changes radically my life. But I had three days to make this decision and that’s what I did.”

Amorim, who was on Liverpool’s radar earlier this year before they appointed Arne Slot, addressed other offers he has received. He said: “I’ve had other opportunities – the president and [director of football] Hugo Viana can confirm this.

“It’s not the first or the second time that I have been requested by another team and I don’t want another team. After Sporting I wanted that one, Manchester, and I want that context because that context allows me to do things my way and the club believes me that way. It’s just like Sporting.

“There’s a time when I have to take a step forward in my career. That’s what happened. It was harder for me than to any Sporting fan, believe me, but I had to do this.”

Referring to a previous offer, he intriguingly revealed: “I go home more happier because I have explained. People say ‘it’s about the money’, but there was another team that wanted to hire me before and they paid three times more than Manchester.”