Having flirted with Liverpool and West Ham United previously, it looks like Ruben Amorim will finally get his desired move to the Premier League as Manchester United. prepare to score to the exciting Portuguese coach.
The Red Devils have identified the head of Sporting CP as the perfect replacement for the recently fired Erik ten Hagwith the 39-year-old winning admirers across Europe after winning several Primeira Liga titles in Lisbon.
Amorim brings with him new ideas, a new formation and his own philosophy, but accepts one of the most pressured jobs in world football. There is no room for error at Old Trafford.
Fortunately, Amorim is inheriting a very talented team. Building confidence and instilling his ideals in United’s players is his first battle, and the former Portugal international will already have considered his preferred starting eleven in Manchester.
Here’s how 90 minutes cross that of Amorim united could look
Andre Onana has been one of the few players to improve on last season’s performances at the start of the 2024/25 season. An error-strewn debut campaign for the Red Devils put him on the firing line but he has found some consistency with his hands and feet.
Amorim prides its teams on being possession focused and having the ability to play from the back quickly and effectively. Onana’s distribution was often questionable last season, but he was known for his accurate passing when representing Inter.
Man Utd fans have yet to see their brilliant £52m summer signing Leny Yoro, with a pre-season injury ruling him out. However, the 18-year-old should be back in the fold relatively soon and will be keen to make an immediate impression at Amorim.
Amorim’s success with Sporting has been based on a fluid back three, with Goncalo Inacio, Sebastian Coates and Ousmane Diomande among those who did his bidding in the defensive line.
Amorim want athletic defenders capable of breaking down an opposing press with incisive passing and the ability to get forward themselves. Yoro ticks these boxes despite his tender age,
Matthijs de Ligt’s United career has been full of mistakes and misfortunes so far, but there is no doubting the Dutchman’s quality when he finds his stride. He has shown glimpses of his talent at Juventus and Bayern Munich since leaving Ajax from Ten Hag, even winning the Kopa Trophy in 2019.
However, he must improve if he wants to consolidate a starting position in Amorim’s trio of central midfielders. De Ligt would likely be drafted in as a central member of the unit, providing much-needed protection.
Lisandro MartÃnez should thrive on a back three. The destructive defender, adept at left-back, will naturally sit on the left-hand side, and his aggression and South American fortitude should allow United to press with the intensity that Amorim wants from his team.
Martinez’s lack of height will be less detrimental in a back three, with Yoro and De Ligt tasked with winning most of the aerial duels. The Argentine’s technical ability makes him the perfect player to slot into midfield as United play through the press.
Amorim’s 3-4-3 system prioritizes wing play and the Portuguese coach wants his wide midfielders/wingers to have attacking potential. Despite not being the most confident attacking full-back the Premier League has ever seen, Diogo Dalot has shown his ability to get into the final third with ease.
The Portuguese defender will no doubt have no trouble communicating with his new boss and should provide balance for Amorim on the right.
United should be building their future around ‘Stockport Seedorf’. Kobbie Mainoo has the potential to be one of the best midfielders in the world over the next decade, having already shone as a teenager and Amorim has a history of developing talented central midfielders.
It was the role Amorim played during his career and the likes of Morten Hjulmand, Joao Palhinha and Mainoo’s new team-mate Manuel Ugarte have thrived under his watch, with Mainoo likely to play a defining role in the new Amorim lineup.
Ugarte built his career with Amorim, wearing the Sporting shirt 85 times under the Portuguese coach before making the unsuccessful move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. Naturally, the Uruguayan will be a big part of the plans of ‘We love United.
After a shaky start to his United career in a failing team, Ugarte will be delighted to read the headlines about Amorim’s likely arrival at Old Trafford. In a more structured and familiar environment, the combative midfielder should thrive.
Like Dalot on the other side of United’s team, Luke Shaw will be expected to bomb up and down the flank under Amorim. This should not be a problem for the England international, who is a powerful runner and energetic presence, but staying fit is the main obstacle to success.
Whether Amorim will want a more attacking option in one of his full-backs remains to be seen, but United currently lack a winger who has the defensive ability to succeed in wide midfield.
Bruno Fernandes is another who knows all about Amorim. The pair didn’t quite cross paths during Fernandes’ time at Sporting, with Amorim appointed as the club’s head coach just over a month after the United skipper moved to Old Trafford. However, he will probably have had many discussions with former teammates and those in Lisbon about the young manager.
It is not clear where Fernandes fits under Amorim. With the Sporting boss not favoring a number ten in his system, Fernandes could be pushed further to the right wing, or even potentially drop into a double midfield pivot in more winnable games. He could perform a similar role to Sporting star Pedro Goncalves, who has thrived under Amorim.
If Amorim can have the same impact on Rasmus Hojlund as Viktor Gyokeres, United are on to a winner. The 39-year-old was instrumental in convincing Gyokeres to join Sporting from Coventry City and has since turned him into a world number one with the Lisbon side’s potential to fetch in excess of £80m of sterling in the future.
£72m Hojlund has failed to find consistency or rhythm since moving to United from Atalanta in 2023, with injuries and a dysfunctional front line causing problems. However, he shares similarities with Gyokeres in terms of his physicality, pace and ability to hold onto the ball, which is a positive sign for both the Denmark international and his potential new manager.
Unlocking Marcus Rashford would be useful for Amorim, but the England international is no longer a guaranteed starter. The young and often more impactful Alejandro Garnacho could be Amorim’s left winger.
Garnacho’s potential is there for everyone and the 2024 Copa America winner can develop into a truly devastating wide player with excellent speed, agility and striking ability. The Argentine will be excited to form a team with a more offensive coach.
