Manchester United are set to confirm Ruben Amorim as their new manager today, with the Portuguese coach due to start work after the next international break.
After overcoming a few final obstacles holding the process up, CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth were not at United’s 5-2 victory over Leicester City on Wednesday night, instead finalising terms with Amorim in Lisbon.
New co-owners Ineos’ head of sport, Sir Dave Brailsford, was present at the game and was caught on camera after the match telling supporters it was a “done deal”.
Even though United have moved at a rapid pace to replace Erik ten Hag, who was only relieved of his duties on Monday, everything did not go completely to plan.
i understands United were confident they could agree a deal with Sporting Lisbon that would allow Amorim to leave immediately and enabled him to take charge of his first match on Sunday against Chelsea.
However, while United paid a little extra compensation – on top of the £8.3m fee – to release him early from his notice period, the 39-year-old will not take the Old Trafford hotseat until after the next international break, with his first match being at Ipswich on 24 November.
Another issue holding up the confirmation has been Amorim’s backroom staff. The rookie boss wants to bring assistants Adelio Candido and Carlos Fernandes, first-team coach Emanuel Ferro and goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital with him. A small compensation fee to include those in Amorim’s exit has now been agreed, i understands.
Candido and Fernandes have now worked with Amorim at all four of the clubs he has coached. Such a close bond means there is little room for Ruud van Nistelrooy, who insisted after Wednesday’s win over Leicester that he wants to stay on in some capacity when Amorim comes in.
If he were to stay, that would likely mean a demotion from the role of always having the manager’s ear next to him on the bench, as he did alongside Ten Hag. Sources have told i Van Nistelrooy understands that he may be asked to leave by the new regime.
He will at least have an extended stay as interim manager. The former striker, who lapped up the applause from supporters on Wednesday night, will oversee clashes with Chelsea, PAOK in the Europa League and Leicester again in the league.