It is no secret that Ruben Amorim is to succeed Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager. However, nothing is official, so the 39-year-old himself has now spoken and announced that clarity will be provided soon.
“Negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing,” Ruben Amorim said on Thursday at the matchday conference before the game between Sporting Lisbon and Estrela Amadora (9:15 p.m.), adding that such talks are never easy – “despite clauses”. However, he also hinted that the cat would soon be out of the bag when he confirmed that there would be certainty after Friday’s game. “One more day,” then everything will be ‘very clear. The soap opera will soon be over.’
The coach also openly admitted that the whole situation is quite stressful for him – and for a very specific reason. ‘When I don’t know what I can say and when I can say it, it makes things complicated for me,’ explained the 39-year-old, saying that he would much prefer it the other way around. “If I can be direct, it’s much easier.” Currently, the overall situation makes him ‘nervous – because I can’t confirm it or say it clearly.’
And yet, he hinted at the impending change between the lines, also by philosophizing. ”In everyone’s life, there are phases when things are going well, but then we want more – maybe to prove ourselves. I think everyone knows this feeling,” said Amorim, for whom there is only one way to deal with such a state of mind: ‘taking a step into the unknown’ – regardless of the possible risk that the plan might not work out in the end.
Not a revolt, but not normal either
Amorim is also aware that it is not an easy situation not only for him, but also for Sporting and especially for his players. After all, the departure of the successful coach, with whom they won two league titles (2021, 2024) and three cups (2020, 2021, 2022), is a real possibility.
He realized that the players reacted “nervously and anxiously”. “I could say that no one reads the news or has fears, but I did feel that the players were different in conversation,” the coach confirmed, but also emphasized that there was “no revolt” within the team. Nevertheless, he was only “being honest when I say that the players did not react normally”.
According to information from The Athletic, an agreement has already been reached between Manchester United, Sporting Lisbon and Amorim, according to which the Portuguese will remain on the sidelines for Sporting’s next three games before taking over in Manchester after the international break in November. A transfer fee of ten million euros will be due for the 39-year-old (contract until 2026).