RUBEN AMORIM wants to bring one of Europe’s most promising centre-backs with him to Old Trafford.
The Sporting manager has been confirmed as Manchester United’s successor to Erik ten Hag.
The 39-year-old arrives at Old Trafford with an impressive track record in Portugal, leaving Sporting top of Liga Portugal with nine wins from nine to start the season.
Sources close to United say he is determined to adopt a three-at-the-back system in the Premier League.
The formation has served him well in Portugal, and he thinks it can help deliver success at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have three top-quality centre-back options to ensure Amorim can implement his favoured three-man backline, once Leny Yoro returns to fitness.
A centre-back trio of Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez provides the balance at the back.
But United lack quality options in reserve, with Harry Maguire unlikely to be at the club for much longer.
Victor Lindelof has long been linked with an exit, and, at 36, Jonny Evans won’t be around forever.
With that in mind, Amorim is keen to bring Ousmane Diomande to the club from Sporting.
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One of Europe’s most in-demand young defenders, landing Diomande would be a major coup for United.
He’s previously been chased by Liverpool and Arsenal, with Bayern Munich also linked.
Sporting will only be willing to sell Diomande if a club were to activate his £70m release clause.
The 20-year-old came through the youth academy of Danish club Midtjylland.
He joined Sporting in 2022 for just £6.1m, enjoying a breakout season last year and catching the eye of Europe’s elite.
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Ruben Amorim is ‘Mourinho 2.0’ who turned Sporting from ‘walking dead’ into Portuguese champs… he can revive Man Utd
WHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies.
Optimism and hope was at an all-time low.
But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals.
Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term.
He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers.
The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival.
And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford.
Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up.
Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”.
United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won’t be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.”
And yet, you cannot help but compare the two.
For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.
Man Utd confirmed on Friday afternoon that Amorim has joined the club as their new manager.
A club statement read: “Manchester United are delighted to announce the appointment of Ruben Amorim as Head Coach of the men’s first team, subject to work visa requirements.
“He will join until June 2027 with a club option of an additional year, once he has fulfilled his obligations to his current club.
“He will join Manchester United on Monday 11 November.”
