Man Utd news LIVE: Ruben Amorim officially announced as new manager with club statement

Ruud van Nistelrooy has stressed that he wants to remain at Manchester United in his role as assistant manager when Ruben Amorim takes over at Old Trafford.

The Dutchman has a two-year contract with the club but the current interim manager admits that he will need a discussion with the new boss to see if that is an agreeable arrangement.

It was at the start of the October international window, around the time Manchester United’s hierarchy held a now infamous seven-hour meeting deliberating on the future of Erik ten Hag, that the club first approached Ruben Amorim. The initial response wasn’t effusive, which is one reason Ten Hag remained in a job that bit longer than he might have. Although many in football expected the situation to continue interminably, this time there was a difference. United, in the words of one senior football figure, were going to “start acting like a big club”.

Amorim had been open to the move but was reluctant to leave Sporting mid-season. In the way that often happens in such situations, however, the sense of opportunity was persistently playing on his mind. United similarly felt there was a chance for a statement. Liverpool got close to Amorim last season. Manchester City were thought to be considering the 39-year-old as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola, although it was conspicuous how keen figures within the champions were to point out there was no active interest. Major clubs like Bayern Munich and Barcelona have been monitoring him. United saw this was a rare chance to get “the next big thing”. They went back in strong, and Amorim was open to it. He realised how much he wanted the job.

United sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday following a dismal start to the season, and immediately opened talks with the 39-year-old Amorim about replacing the Dutchman. The club were willing to pay a €10m release clause to sign their top target before encountering issues over further compensation to acquire Amorim’s assistant coaches, leading the appointment to drag out all week.

Ruben Amorim spoke to the media yesterday and gave assurances that he will discuss all things Manchester United following Sporting CP’s league match against Estrela this evening.

Amorim will be in the dugout for Sporting’s next three games, including against Manchester City next week, before joining up with United on the 11th of November.

Sporting’s match with Estrela kicks off at 8.15pm GMT tonight.

Ruben Amorim is the new Manchester United manager. He joins the club in 10 days time and has signed a contract until 2027.

The full statement of his announcement reads:

“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.”

Manchester United have formally announced Ruben Amorim as their new manager. The 39-year-old replaces Erik ten Hag as first team coach and will take over his role during this month’s international break.

The club’s statement reads: “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.”

Asked if he is happy to remain in interim charge as negotiations for Amorim continue, Van Nistelrooy told Sky Sports: “Of course – I came here as an assistant to help the club.

“Now in this role I’m helping as long as I’m needed. And in the future in any capacity, I’m here to help the club further, to build towards the future and that’s what I’m here for.”

Amorim’s coaching set-up is among the matters being discussed and Van Nistelrooy, who returned to United in the summer as one of Ten Hag’s assistants, indicated he would like to be part of it.

Pushed on whether he wants to be part of the new backroom team at United, the former striker said: “As I said, I’m here to help, I’m here to serve, I’m here to give my everything for the club in any capacity with so many people here around me that want the best for the club and that will never change.”

The latest updates coming out of Portugal are that Ruben Amorim will join Manchester United during the next international break. He would have a few nice Premier League fixtures to bed in before the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in December.

The draw took place last night, here’s how it looks:

Tottenham vs Manchester United

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace

All ties will take place during week beginning 16 December and the Tottenham clash could be the first real test of Amorim’s reign. Ange Postecoglou wants to win a trophy and the Carabao Cup may be Spurs’ best chance this year.

It is the comeback Ruud van Nistelrooy was not expecting. When he left Manchester United, it had the air of cruelty. He was the favourite who fell from favour, the clinical striker who was clinically dispatched. He was the fourth big name in five years to experience Sir Alex Ferguson’s brutality. Like Jaap Stam, like David Beckham, like Roy Keane, he felt the force of Ferguson’s wrath. No sentimentality was afforded because of his service to United. One by one, they were gone.

“He’s done amazing at Sporting, I was over in Portugal last year and got in a cab, a massive Sporting fan, who was going mad about how he’d turned them around,” Paul Merson tells Sky Sports.

“This will be different, they play against Porto and Benfica, that’s it. One of the biggest clubs in the world. This is where it’ll start.

“You win one, draw one, lose one, you’re under pressure. He comes with massive regard, he’s done brilliantly so far, but this is five steps up.”