Ruben Amorim told Manchester United to sign Erik ten Hag but now he replaces him

“My number two is Carlos Fernandes, he has been my right-hand man since day one. He will be a much better coach than me. “I often say that if I become Bobby Robson, he will be my (Jose) Mourinho.”

It was just a passing comment, but some quotes sum it up better. the last managerial superstar produced in PortugalRuben Amorim.

He Sporting Lisbon the coach has Personal terms agreed verbally with Manchester United. to succeed in fired Erik ten Hag.

It completes a remarkable managerial merry-go-round considering Amorim once defended the Dutchman's arrival at Old Trafford.

The pair were installed as options the Red Devils were considering to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November 2021.

Three days after the Norwegian was shown the door, Amorim was questioned by Portuguese media about his plans ahead of Sporting's 3-1 Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund.

CNNPortugal It quoted him as saying: “United? We are talking about rumors, my future is clear. I don't know how many names have been mentioned, I don't give it much importance.

“If I may have my say, United should sign Ten Hag this week. “That would make me very happy.”

Amorim's joke about Ten Hag arose from the fact that the two would face each other in the Champions League in the coming weeks.

His team, Sporting, which had lost 5-1 at home to Ajax in September 2021, was defeated in the second leg 4-2 that December.

On paper, Man United made the right decision between the two managers when they inadvertently followed Amorim's advice by duly appointing Ten Hag the following summer.

However, two and a half years later, the former has become the undisputed number one choice to lead the post-Ten Hag era.

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The speed with which the Red Devils have informed Sporting that they will pay the €10m (£8.3m) release clause in Amorim's contract reflects the manager's own rapid rise to the top.

Appointed Braga's stand-in coach in September 2019, it was just four months before the former Portuguese midfielder took over the first-team role, starting with a 7-1 defeat of Belenenses.

Soon, there were ten wins and one draw in all national competitions, winning the League Cup final and accumulating victories against all the 'Os Tres Grandes', the big three.

One of them had seen enough: Sporting CP handed Amorim a contract with a £13m release clause, by far the largest in Portuguese football history, just four months into his professional career.

Incredibly, however, that clause soon looked cheap, with Amorim guiding the faltering giants to their first league title in 19 years, ending a curse and cementing legendary status in his home country.

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Playing for Lisbon rival Benfica more than 150 times as a player, Amorim even participated christian ronaldo with Portugal in two World Cups.

The 39-year-old is clearly destined for greatness, which has led to him being labeled 'the next Mourinho'.

Those comparisons will continue as he follows in his footsteps at Man United, but in reality that is where the mutual ties end.

Amorim is the antithesis of every imaginable criticism of Mourinho over the years.

Mourinho doesn't like youth; Amorim won the title with teenagers scattered throughout the field, turning debutants into superstars in just a few weeks.

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Mourinho is arrogant; Amorim always takes the blame for losses and makes sure his players get credit for wins.

After winning Sporting's historic title, he even made sure his staff were present at the press conference, sharing the applause for such an incredible victory that was largely down to him.

Considered by some to be Carlo Ancelotti's successor in real MadridIt was suggested that Amorim would be in the running for vacancies at all the major clubs.

The former Portugal international linked with West Ham vacancy over the summer and traveled to London to talk.

Amorim had He has also been identified as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola. at Manchester City and was considered by Liverpool.

And the way he responded to those manchester united information pre-Erik ten HagHe was as anti-Mourinho as ever.

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The only real similarity between Mourinho and Amorim is their nationality.

But if Amorim officially arrives in Manchester, it is possible that the Portuguese coach will have a similar impact to what Mourinho achieved in his first campaign in England, against rival Chelsea.

Without a doubt, we are looking at someone who is heading to the top.