Appointed coach of the Red Devils this Friday, Ruben Amorim expressed his pride in the wake of great success on the Sporting Portugal bench.
He savors it. “It’s my choice” to leave Sporting Portugal, a difficult decision which “will completely change my life”confided the Portuguese Ruben Amorim, appointed Manchester United coach on Friday until June 2027.
“I had the most beautiful period of my life” at Sporting but “it’s my choice”well that “I have changed my opinion several times” for fear of harming the club, explained the coach during a press conference after his club's home victory against Estrela Amadora (5-1).
“Manchester (United), it was the club I wanted after Sporting”he indicated, adding that he had decided to leave the Lisbon club at the end of the season anyway, because it corresponded to “the end of a cycle”.
Ruben Amorim was named Manchester United coach on Friday until June 2027, with an additional year option, replacing Erik ten Hag, who was dismissed on Monday.
The Gyökeres “cyborg” in his suitcases?
Asked about the possibility of recruiting the Swedish phenomenon from Sporting, Viktor Gyökeres, during the January transfer window, the new Red Devils technician was very clear: “It costs at least 100 million euros and it is very difficult. I am not going to bring in any Sporting players in January».
On this subject, the 26-year-old striker, author of a quadruple this Friday face to face at Estrela Amadora, also preferred to kick into touch. “Join Amorim this winter? I don't know, I'm here. As you can see, I like Sporting. I don't think about that, declared the Swedish international with his staggering statistics (20 goals in 16 matches in all competitions with his club). I'm just sad he's gone, we wish him the best. Of course, it's not a normal situation right now, but we won 5-1 and the team responded very well. We are professionals and we must continue like this.
“I will take my staff with me… this has always been one of the conditions that I have set”said the 39-year-old Portuguese coach. Ruben Amorim is due to take office on November 11, at the start of the international break. Until the arrival of Amorim, Ruud van Nistelrooy, former deputy of ten Hag, will continue his interim leadership of the team.
Amorim should still ensure the matches at the head of Sporting before the international break, namely the Champions League clash against Manchester City on Tuesday and the trip to Braga next weekend in the championship.
Assailed with questions all week since the rumors of his departure, the young technician had remained silent but had promised a «clarification» at the end of the meeting on Friday evening. “We respected the decision” of Amorim, declared club president Frederico Varandas during this press conference, specifying that the new Sporting coach would be known after his departure.
