Having flirted with Liverpool and West Ham United previously, it appears that Ruben Amorim will finally earn his desired move to the Premier League as Manchester United prepare to punt on the exciting Portuguese coach.
The Red Devils have identified the Sporting CP boss as the perfect replacement for the recently dismissed Erik ten Hag, with the 39-year-old having won admirers across Europe after winning multiple Primeira Liga titles in Lisbon.
Amorim brings with him fresh ideas, a new-look formation and his own distinct philosophy, but he is accepting one of the most high-pressure jobs in world football. There is no room for error at Old Trafford.
Fortunately, Amorim is inheriting an extremely talented squad. Building confidence and instilling his ideals in the United players is his first battle, and the former Portugal international will already have considered his preferred starting XI in Manchester.
Here’s how 90min believes Amorim’s United could look.
Andre Onana has been one of the few players to have improved on last season’s performances at the beginning of 2024/25. An error-strewn debut campaign with the Red Devils put him in the firing line but he has found some consistency with his hands and feet.
Amorim prides his teams on being possession-centric and having the capacity to play out from the back both swiftly and effectively. Onana’s distribution was often questionable last season but he was renowned for his accurate passing when representing Inter.
Man Utd supporters are still yet to see their shiny £52m summer signing Leny Yoro, with an injury in pre-season having ruled him out of action. However, the 18-year-old should return to the fold relatively soon and he will be eager to make an immediate impression on Amorim.
Amorim’s success with Sporting has hinged on a fluid back three, with the likes of Goncalo Inacio, Sebastian Coates and Ousmane Diomande among those who carried out his orders in the defensive line.
Amorim wants athletic defenders capable of breaking through an opposition press with incisive passing and the ability to drive forward themselves. Yoro ticks those boxes despite his tender age,
Matthijs de Ligt’s United career has been littered with mistakes and misfortune thus far, but there can be no doubting the Dutchman’s quality when he hits his stride. He has shown glimpses of his talent at Juventus and Bayern Munich since leaving Ten Hag’s Ajax, even winning the Kopa Trophy back in 2019.
However, he must improve if he wants to cement a starting spot in Amorim’s trio of centre-halves. De Ligt would likely be primed as the central member of the unit, offering him some much-needed protection.
Lisandro Martinez should thrive in a back three. The destructive defender, who is adept in the left-back position, will naturally sit on the left-hand side, and his aggression and South American grit should allow United to press with the intensity that Amorim desires from his team.
Martinez’s lack of height will prove less detrimental in a back three, with Yoro and De Ligt tasked with winning the majority of the aerial duels. The Argentine’s technical ability makes him the perfect player to step into midfield as United play through the press.
Amorim’s 3-4-3 system is one that prioritises wing play and the Portuguese coach wants his wide midfielders/wing-backs to have attacking potential. Despite not being the most confident offensive full-back the Premier League has ever witnessed, Diogo Dalot has shown his ability to step into the final third with ease.
The Portuguese defender will certainly have no issues communicating with his new boss and should provide Amorim with balance down the right-hand side.
United should be building their future around the ‘Stockport Seedorf’. Kobbie Mainoo has the potential to be one of the world’s best midfielders over the next decade having already shone as a teenager and Amorim has history developing talented central midfielders.
It was the role Amorim played himself during his career and the likes of Morten Hjulmand, Joao Palhinha and Mainoo’s new team-mate Manuel Ugarte have all thrived under his watch, with Mainoo likely to play a defining role in Amorim’s new-look lineup.
Ugarte built his career under Amorim, donning a Sporting jersey on 85 occasions under the Portuguese coach before making the unsuccessful big-money move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. Naturally, the Uruguayan will be an important part of Amorim’s plans at United.
After a shaky start to his United career in a misfiring team, Ugarte will be thrilled to read the headlines regarding Amorim’s likely arrival at Old Trafford. In a more structured and familiar setting, the combative midfielder should thrive.
Similarly to Dalot on the other side of United’s team, Luke Shaw will be expected to bomb up and down the flank under Amorim. That shouldn’t be an issue for the England international, who is a powerful runner and energetic presence, but keeping himself fit is the main obstacle to success.
Whether Amorim will want a more attack-minded option on one of his flanks remains to be seen, but United don’t currently possess a winger that boasts the defensive nous to succeed in wide midfield.
Bruno Fernandes is another who knows all about Amorim. The pair didn’t quite cross paths during Fernandes’ time at Sporting, with Amorim appointed the club’s head coach a little over a month after the United skipper made the move to Old Trafford. However, he will have likely had plenty of discussions with former team-mates and those back in Lisbon regarding the young manager.
Where Fernandes fits under Amorim is unclear. With the Sporting boss not favouring a number ten in his system, Fernandes could be pushed wider towards the right-hand side, or even potentially dropped into a double midfield pivot in more winnable fixtures. He could perform a similar function to Sporting star Pedro Goncalves, who has thrived under Amorim.
If Amorim can have the same impact on Rasmus Hojlund as he did on Viktor Gyokeres, United are on to a winner. The 39-year-old was key in convincing Gyokeres to join Sporting from Coventry City and has subsequently turned him into a world-beating number nine likely to fetch the Lisbon side upwards of £80m in the future.
£72m Hojlund hasn’t been able to find consistency or rhythm since moving to United from Atalanta in 2023, with injuries and a dysfunctional front line causing him issues. However, he shares similarities with Gyokeres in terms of his physique, pace and ability to hold the ball up, which is a positive sign for both the Denmark international and his potential new coach.
Unlocking Marcus Rashford would be handy for Amorim but the England international is not a guaranteed starter any longer. The young and often more impactful Alejandro Garnacho could be Amorim’s go-to left winger.
Garnacho’s potential is there for all to see and the 2024 Copa America winner can blossom into a truly devastating wide player with excellent speed, agility and ball-striking ability. The Argentine will be excited to team up with a more offensive-minded coach.
