Ruben Amorim has been appointed Manchester United head coach and has signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Old Trafford.
United, who will have a club option to extend Amorim’s contract by a further year until 2028, believe they have appointed the most exciting young manager in Europe.
They have paid the £8.3m release clause to take him from Sporting, along with a further £850,000 to bring him in before the end of his 30-day notice period.
The Portuguese will take up his post at Old Trafford from 11 November, with interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy remaining in charge of United for their next three games.
Amorim was United’s top target and the only candidate they spoke to after sacking Erik ten Hag on Monday, with a delegation from Old Trafford going immediately to Lisbon for face-to-face talks with Sporting.
Sporting wanted to keep the 39-year-old for their next three matches, including Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Manchester City, and United respected their wishes.
Amorim, who won the Premeira Liga twice with Sporting and has taken them to the top of the division this season, becomes United’s second Portuguese manager, after Jose Mourinho, and the first appointed by the new regime at Old Trafford, after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos took control of footballing operations.
United feel Amorim represents a different profile of manager to previous appointments and were attracted by his style of play, his track record of improving young players and his record in Portugal. They expect him to work well within their new structure, with sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.
United are yet to confirm the new backroom staff though Carlos Fernandes and Adelio Candido, Amorim’s assistants, are expected to accompany him to Old Trafford. Van Nistelrooy has reiterated that he is keen to stay and had a contract until the end of next season.
Ten Hag was dismissed on Monday, the day after a 2-1 defeat at West Ham left United in 14th. Whereas they had considered a number of other managers in the summer, including Thomas Tuchel, Thomas Frank, Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto de Zerbi, before sticking with the Dutchman, this time they arrowed in on Amorim.
