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Manchester United have reached an agreement with Sporting Lisbon, according to which United will pay a release clause of 10 million euros to secure the services of Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim, who is expected to arrive at Old Trafford early next week.

A number of Manchester United officials traveled to the Portuguese capital yesterday for talks with the Lisbon administration, hours after Dutchman Erik ten Haag was sacked.

Amorim yesterday tried to avoid media personnel surrounding him to confirm his acceptance as United’s technical director or his continuation in Lisbon, saying he was still studying the matter and the decision was not his alone. . However, the Portuguese club have indicated that talks are ongoing with United officials and the English club are prepared to offer a release clause to secure Amorim’s services.

United expect the Portuguese coach to be in attendance early next week. The English side have a heated date against Chelsea on Sunday at Old Trafford in the tenth round of the league.

After Sporting’s 3-1 win over Nacional in the Portuguese League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday evening, Amorim commented: “I have nothing to say at the moment. We are busy with our work here. Anything I say will cause more noise and uproar… nothing to talk about. There is a club statement, and everyone knows it… As for the rest of the details, we don’t know them properly. we will see There is an intention from United, who are in talks with Sporting, I’m not making any promises. All I know is that I will continue my work to lead Lisbon in the league match against Estrella da Amadora on Friday.”

Amorim tried to direct the questions to the next match, but was forced to repeat the same answer several times when reporters asked him about United.

Amorim (39), who emerged as the first candidate shortly after Ten Haag’s sacking, led Sporting to the Portuguese league title in 2021, ending the team’s 19-year absence from the podium before confirming his qualification with a second title last season.

The name Amorim was associated with several clubs. With Liverpool replacing German Jurgen Klopp last season, but the club opted to sign Dutchman Arne Slott instead.

Amorim also held talks with West Ham last summer to replace Scott David Moyes before his move to Lisbon.

Amorim will take on one of the most high-pressure jobs in world football. And at a club that wants to return to its glory days. Ten Hagg, who was sacked a day after the 2-1 defeat by West Ham, was the club’s fifth full-time coach since the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, the club’s most successful coach, after winning the league in 2013.

Amorim is looking forward to a new challenge at Old Trafford (EPA).

Portuguese Amorim is no stranger to the pressures of the “Old Trafford” stadium, as he had a spell of coaching experience at “Old Trafford” 6 years ago under his compatriot Jose Mourinho, who later took charge of United.

He also praised United captain and Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who said earlier this month: “Since Amorim came to Sporting, the team has become one of the best clubs in football.” Fernandez added, on his time with the Portugal national team during the recent international break: “Lisbon’s performances are characterized by consistency. The signings they made were right and they are in a very good moment. It is a very well-prepared team. Coaching Sporting and winning trophies Not easy. The club has gone 20 years without winning a championship, and they have already won two titles, and it shows that the work has been done,” he continued: “Can he do the same thing in England, Spain? Anywhere? “You never know until you get there, but I’m sure the potential is there for everyone to see.”

Those in charge at United found similarities between the situation the English giants are currently facing and what Lisbon were experiencing before Amorim took over, so the Portuguese coach was their preferred choice. The positive revolution that Amorim made in Lisbon was not what anyone expected from a young manager at the start of his coaching career, but his arrival in March 2020 was a milestone.

Before Amorim’s arrival, Sporting was in dire straits, the relationship between the board and fans was dire, and in 2018 50 hooligans at its infamous training center beat up players and staff angry over results. Then came the mandatory isolation period due to “Covid-19”, which was the opportunity for the Portuguese team to change the technical management for the fourth time.

When he arrived at Amorim, Lisbon were fourth in the Portuguese league, 20 points behind leaders Porto, but he succeeded in returning Sporting to the top of Portuguese football and consolidating its position in the short, medium and long term. Europe’s brightest young coach. This has pushed him to the point where he is poised to take over from Erik ten Haag at Manchester United, a club whose relentless problems have brought him down.

Having won his nine matches in the Portuguese league this season and secured 7 points from 9 available in the Champions League, Amorim hopes Friday’s match will be his last and an occasion to say goodbye to Sporting fans.

United officials see Amorim as someone who can repeat some of what was achieved by the legendary Ferguson, who arrived in Manchester in 1986 when the team finished 19th in the league, but has since become a dominant champion with 12 league titles and 3 Champions Leagues. League title and many cups.

Amorim built his reputation on his man management, his ability to communicate with players, to be very close to them, but know where to draw the line; When to be a friend, when to be a demanding manager… If he had to put a member of the dressing room in his place, he would do it easily and without hesitation.

Amorim’s authority comes from the strength of his personality and charisma; And also the simplicity of his messages. He knows what he wants to do. At Sporting, he quickly settled on a 3-4-3 formation, which he changed but never abandoned, always saying he did not want to overload the players with information and tactical details. Transparency and consistency are my watchwords. They build trust. Rehearsing the idea in detail until the team understands the plan.

Amorim’s skills extend to his ability to interact with the media, which, whether the coach likes it or not (Ten Haag didn’t), is a key part of the role. Ten Haag regularly gave the impression that he would be better anywhere than on the conference stage, while Amorim is known in Portugal as smart, outgoing and natural in the region. His ability to speak English boosted United officials’ confidence in him, which quickly bridged the gap between him and the players.

It is worth noting that Amorim, a former Portuguese national team player and Benfica midfielder who won three Portuguese league titles, is known for his fast and attacking football, and the teams he coaches are adept at counter-attacking quickly and positively. Amorim’s success with Lisbon has established him as one of Europe’s brightest young coaches