Ruben Amorim has officially signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester United, but in a refreshingly open press conference, the 39-year-old coach admitted how hard it was to leave Sporting Lisbon.
Amorim shared that he initially wanted to stay with Sporting until the end of the season, but Manchester United made it clear: it was now or never.
Amorim’s move to United was confirmed on Friday, with the club announcing he will officially take over on November 11, following two final matches with Sporting. His contract with United runs until June 2027, with an impressive £6 million salary per season, and United paying £9.25 million to release him from his Sporting contract.
Interestingly, it turns out that Amorim initially hoped to delay his move. United, eager to secure their top managerial choice, sent a delegation to Lisbon on Monday—the same day they parted ways with Erik ten Hag—to bring Amorim on board. Yet, the discussions weren’t straightforward, as Amorim was hesitant about leaving so abruptly.
Friday night was emotional for Amorim, who took charge of Sporting against Estrela da Amadora at the Estadio Jose Alvalade. After receiving a standing ovation from Sporting’s fans, he felt compelled to explain his decision in an honest post-match press conference, sharing exactly how United’s offer unfolded.
In the press conference, Amorim explained, “I can’t say much. It’s a time when people feel what they feel. At the beginning of the season, I had a conversation with the chairman and our director of football, Hugo Viana, and I told them this would be my final season with Sporting.”
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As the season progressed and Sporting was performing well, United approached with a lucrative offer. “They paid the clause, even above it, and the chairman defended Sporting’s interests,” Amorim said. He added that he asked to wait until season’s end, but United insisted that it had to be immediate, leaving him only a few days to make a life-changing decision.
Amorim also revealed that this wasn’t the first time another club had been willing to pay his release clause, but it was the first club he truly felt was right for him. He said, “It’s very hard for me to leave Sporting. Maybe even harder for me than any other Sporting fan.”
Clarifying that there was no drama in the decision, Amorim emphasized that everyone involved acted in good faith. “I said I would stay for as many games as necessary. I didn’t announce it earlier because I couldn’t. That’s just how it is,” he shared.
With United’s offer on the table, he knew rejecting it would mean missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “This is the only club that moved me like this,” he said. “I had to decide, and I did. Now I go home feeling more at peace.”
Reflecting on the big decision, Amorim acknowledged, “I could have earned three times more from another club that paid my clause, but my heart was here. I gave everything I had for Sporting.”
