Ruben Amorim shows true colours as he confirms biggest fear about Man Utd move

Ruben Amorim will leave Sporting CP this month to become Manchester United's new manager, with the Portuguese side currently three points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga

Ruben Amorim showed his true colours by saying his biggest fear surrounding his Manchester United move is how Sporting CP will cope in his absence.

Manchester United on Friday confirmed the appointment of Amorim as manager. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach has signed a contract until June 2027 with the Red Devils, parting ways with Sporting later this month to join his new club on November 11 with his first game a Premier League trip to Ipswich Town.

United paid Sporting an extra €1m (£840,000) on top of his €10m (£8.3m) exit clause for an early release from his 30-day notice period. He replaces Erik ten Hag, who was sacked on Monday, with Ruud van Nistelrooy remaining in charge in the interim.

But it is not the huge pressure of being the manager of United, nor the fact that the side are currently in 14th place, that concerns Amorim. Speaking to a room full of Portuguese and English journalists on Thursday, he stated that his biggest worry is his former team missing out on a second consecutive league title.

He said: “The season ending and Sporting missing out on their goal of a double league title. My biggest fear is that I could be one of the reasons for something happening at the end of the year. That, more than failing in other situations, is probably my biggest fear.”

Following on from his 90-point Primeira Liga title win last season, Amorim’s Sporting are once more leading the table, three points ahead of Porto. The former Benfica midfielder has managed their bitter rivals Sporting since 2020, leaving a legendary legacy behind as the man who ended the club’s 19-year title drought in 2021.

Eduardo Barroso, former chairman of Sporting's General Assembly, echoed Amorim’s fears, saying: "Ruben Amorim's departure from Sporting is like a big earthquake. Earthquakes have consequences. The consequence I fear most is that players may leave in January."

But the departing boss guarantees that reserve team manager João Pereira is ready to take charge, stating: “Have I spoken to him more in the last few days? No, but if you ask me if he's ready, I'll clearly say yes. Not just because of João Pereira, but also because of the coaching staff.

“Because of their knowledge, because of what I've seen in the B team and because of the quality that the players show, physically and tactically, when I call on them. It takes almost no work and [academy product Geovany] Quenda is proof of that. João Pereira is clearly ready, he's played for big clubs, he's got a lot of maturity and personality. In my opinion, he's ready for anything.”

While he is relishing the chance to get out of his comfort size, Amorim is also delighted that the “circus” surrounding his Red Devils appointment has come to an end. United fans won’t be fussed, however, as long as their new appointment can bring glory back to Old Trafford in a manner unseen since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Get the new Man Utd kit

Get the new Man United 2024/25 kit now!
Adult sizes from £80

United have unveiled their new adidas home kit with new front-of-shirt sponsors for the 2024/25 season - and you can get your hands on it right now.

Fanatics
Get it here