Ruben Amorim will become Manchester United’s new head coach but will not take charge of his first game until the team travel to Ipswich on Nov. 24.

The Red Devils have moved quickly to agree a deal with Sporting Lisbon for their next manager after choosing to fire Erik ten Hag on Monday. The defeat at West Ham proved to be the final straw and the Dutchman was given his marching orders with the team in the bottom half of the Premier League.

Within hours Amorim was confirmed as the hierarchy’s prime target and they went after the Sporting Lisbon boss. United have paid the compensation fee necessary to secure the 39-year-old mid-season – with an additional fee paid to ensure several of his coaching staff can join him.

The Portuguese coach will officially start his new role on Monday Nov. 11 and he becomes the first managerial appointment of the INEOS ownership, who have copped criticism for their delay in firing Ten Hag after considering it in the summer.

A statement read: “Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Ruben Amorim as Head Coach of the men’s first team, subject to work visa requirements. He will join until June 2027 with a club option of an additional year, once he has fulfilled his obligations to his current club.

“He will join Manchester United on Monday 11 November. Ruben is one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football.

“Highly decorated as both a player and coach, his titles include winning the Primeira Liga twice in Portugal with Sporting CP; the first of which was the club’s first title in 19 years. Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue to take charge of the team until Ruben joins.”

Erik ten Hag

Amorim replaces Erik ten Hag, who was fired after Sunday’s defeat to West Ham ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

Amorim will remain at the helm for Sporting in the short-term with the Portuguese champions facing Manchester City in the Champions League next week. There was some negotiating to be done as Sporting didn’t want to lose their manager immediately, using his month-long notice period to their advantage.

It means that Ruud van Nistelrooy, who won his first game against Leicester on Wednesday after being placed in charge temporarily, will remain at the helm for the Chelsea clash this weekend. He will also be in charge for two more games until the international break arrives – by which point Amorim will begin work.

Amorim has been linked with several of Europe’s top jobs in recent years. He ended Sporting’s 19-year wait for a league title in 2020/21 and repeated the feat last season. The Lisbon outfit again sit top of the Primeira Liga with Amorim’s reputation continuing to rise. Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham have all been keen on hiring him in the past.

The former Portugal international had been coy when quizzed on his future earlier in the week, giving nothing away. However it soon emerged that Amorim was interested in the opportunity of leading the Old Trafford outfit.

Amorim had been linked with the Manchester City hotseat. Sporting chief Hugo Viana will soon head to the Etihad and that led to suggestions that the young coach would end up being the eventual successor to Pep Guardiola – but that is no longer a possibility.

The 39-year-old inherits a United side that has seen huge sums spent on it. Few of the club’s major arrivals under Ten Hag have delivered but Amorim has earned himself a reputation for getting the most out of his players in the Portuguese capital. Summer signing Manuel Ugarte previously worked under Amorim at Sporting.