Man Utd said 'it was now or never', new manager Amorim says
The 39-year-old Sporting Lisbon coach was confirmed as the new United manager earlier in the day to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
Sporting's coach Ruben Amorim is pictured before the Portuguese league football match between Sporting CP and Portimonense SC at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on May 4, 2024. Ruben Amorim was on November 1, 2024, named as the new manager of Manchester United, replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach, who won two Primeira Liga titles with Sporting Lisbon, has signed a deal until 2027 and will join the club on November 11. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
LONDON - Ruben Amorim revealed Friday that he was told by Manchester United "it was now or never" as he looked ahead to taking over the Old Trafford hotseat midway through the season.
The 39-year-old Sporting Lisbon coach was confirmed as the new United manager earlier in the day to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
Amorim said that he could have accepted "three times" more money from another club but his heart was set on United.
However, his desire was to stay with Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon until the end of the season and then switch to the English giants in the summer - an idea quickly quashed by United.
"The only question I made was to go at the end of the season," Amorim told a news conference.
"But I was told it was now or never. I had three days to make the decision. That's what I did.
"If I rejected it now, in six months I would not have got it. I didn't want to regret making this decision."
On Friday, Amorim saw Sporting defeat Estrala 5-1 for a 10th win in 10 Portuguese league games this season.
"It's my choice to leave Sporting," added Amorim, who will officially take charge of United on November 11 and admitted he had already planned to leave Sporting at the end of the season.
He said it was a difficult decision which "will completely change my life".
"I had the best period of my life here, but it's my choice" although "I changed my mind several times", he said.
"Manchester was the club I wanted after Sporting."