Manchester United appoint Ruben Amorim as new head coach following Erik ten Hag sacking

Manchester United have appointed Ruben Amorim as their new head coach after sacking Erik ten Hag.

It comes after the Portuguese club Sporting confirmed United had contacted them about their manager.

Amorim has signed a contract until June 2027, with the option of a further year, and will join United on Monday 11 November during the international break.

Club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was assistant manager under Ten Hag, will continue to take charge of the team on an interim basis.

His first game as interim boss saw United beat Leicester City 5-2 in the Carabao Cup, securing a quarter-final place against Tottenham.

Sky Sports News reported Amorim, 39, was the only coach they spoke to during the recruitment process.

United are also understood to have paid Sporting an extra €1m (£840,000) on top of his €10m (£8.4m) exit clause for an early release from his 30-day notice period.

A former Benfica and Portugal midfielder, Amorim retired as a player in 2017 and took up his first managerial job at Braga two years later.

The Portuguese manager then joined Sporting in 2020 and led them to their first league title in 19 years in 2021. He then repeated the achievement with the Lisbon club earlier this year.

So far, Sporting have won all nine games this season and is currently three points clear at the top of the league.

Amorim is one of the most sought-after young coaches in football and did an internship under Jose Mourinho when he was United's manager.

His move to Old Trafford comes after Ten Hag's time ran out on Monday following a woeful start to the season that has left United 14th in the table.

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Amorim's first game in charge of United will be on 24 November against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

He has three more games as Sporting's head coach, facing Estrela Amadora and Braga in the Portuguese league and Manchester City in the Champions League.

After reports emerged United had contacted Sporting about the manager on Wednesday, Amorim said at a press conference that "the soap opera is coming to an end".

He added: "I think that in everyone's life, there are times when we're doing really well, but then we want something more, maybe to prove something more."

Speaking to Sky News after the appointment, football writer Henry Winter said United fans will be "absolutely delighted" with Amorim.

"They've got a coach who's coming in who has got many strengths that Ten Hag didn't have," he said. "He'll come in with a bit of swagger."

(c) Sky News 2024: Manchester United appoint Ruben Amorim as new head coach following Erik ten Hag sacking