Manuel Ugarte provides feelings on new Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim and makes 'upset' claim

Manuel Ugarte has empathy for “upset” Sporting CP fans who have seen “hungry to win” Ruben Amorim choose to move on and join him at Manchester United. Having moved to Old Trafford himself from PSG this summer, the midfield ace has already displayed promise in the middle of the park, but was unable to prevent Erik ten Hag’s sacking – with the manager’s replacement, Amorim, set to be reunited with Ugarte on November 11, having worked together previously at Sporting.

Honing his skills under Amorim’s tutelage in Lisbon transformed Ugarte into a coveted asset worth £55million. Chelsea were keen on him in the past before Les Parisiens secured his signature.

Now, Ugarte has voiced his eagerness about working with his former mentor once again. Even with this excitement brewing, Ugarte acknowledges that his past team’s fanbase will lament losing the top coach, but further recognises the heightened pressure awaiting him in Manchester.

“I saw that Sporting fans were upset, and that’s understandable because the coach is a great coach,” Ugarte commented following his team’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea. “It’s good for United. We have to take advantage of it and get him to convey his ideas as quickly as possible.

“I think it’s going to be a different dynamic, and the day-to-day will be similar to Sporting’s. The league, the country, the football… It’s a big challenge for him, but we all know he has the ability. It’s positive, mainly because the club needs to start building a path and the coach will be key to that.”

The Red Devils star also disclosed his team-mates’ reactions to their new boss, noting their surprise at just how young the 39-year-old coach is for a top-flight manager, reports the Mirror.

“My team-mates have asked a lot about him,” Ugarte added. “What surprised them was his age. He’s also very hungry to win, and that’s very important. I can tell he’ll enjoy it.”

As Ugarte reflects on his own journey with United, which has so far been mixed, he remains hopeful that Amorim will show confidence in his abilities. This hope is bolstered given the coach’s past praise when the star was set to leave Sporting after joining for £5.5m in 2021 and delivering stellar performances.

Amorim spoke highly of Ugarte, describing him as ‘highly sought-after’ while remaining tight-lipped on transfer speculation at the time. “It’s difficult to keep players like him because there are so many clubs interested,” Amorim confessed to Ojogo prior to Ugarte’s move to PSG.

“That’s not my job. I know what I want to do with the team, and I’ve already told the board. We’re prepared for any scenario. I know that sometimes people ask me questions, and I answer them, but I’ll leave that to the management. Any comment I make could change something in the negotiations. Ugarte is one of the most sought-after players.”