Pep Guardiola believes Ruben Amorim is ready to take on the challenge of managing Manchester United and stepping up to the Premier League.
United are close to finalizing Amorim’s appointment, following Sporting Lisbon’s agreement to meet his £8.3 million release clause.
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The move is likely to be confirmed within days, with United aiming for Amorim to begin his role as soon as possible under a three-year contract valued at £6 million per year…Continue Reading
Guardiola, Manchester City’s manager, praised Amorim, as they were initially set to meet in the Champions League in Lisbon next week.
By then, Amorim might already be leading United, and Guardiola has no doubt the 39-year-old is prepared for the transition to English football.
When asked about Amorim’s move to United, Guardiola said: “All I can talk about is the experience of playing twice against Ruben’s Sporting Lisbon team, one or two seasons ago, and the pressure was really, really good.
“I spoke with Matheus Nunes – he was his player – and he speaks highly about him. And this season he’s unbeaten and winning all the games in the Portuguese League and the Champions League, with the same points as us.
“So he’s a high manager. I have the feeling that United, from what I hear, if they’re thinking about him, it’s because he’s a good manager.
“United don’t appoint managers who aren’t at that level, so after five, six or seven years, we cannot say he is not able to lead United.”
“What’s going to happen, I don’t know, because what happened here in my experience here, doesn’t mean it works for the other ones.
“Everyone is everyone – the manager is the team, the club, the structure, the physios, the doctors, the players, it’s many things. What happened here doesn’t mean it’s going to happen in another place.”
Asked if it was too soon for Amorim to lead a club the size of Man United, Guardiola said: “Why so quick? Why is it a problem? I started at Barcelona at 37 years old, coming into the fourth division. So knowledge is knowledge.
“If you are able, it doesn’t matter. For that reason, Lamine Yamal could not play football at 17 years old, right? So you have to wait until he’s 24. There are players who are 56 or 57 who aren’t able to be managers. So what’s important is talent. If you’re good, it doesn’t matter the age.”
Sporting confirmed Man United’s approach for Amorim in an official club statement.
It read: “Manchester United expressed interest in hiring coach Ruben Amorim, with the board of directors of Sporting SAD referring to the terms and conditions set out in the employment contract in force between the company and the coach, specifically for the respective termination clause and for the amount of €10,000,000.
“Manchester United FC expressed interest in paying Sporting SAD the value of the aforementioned clause.”
Manchester United will take on Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, which will be their first game since Erik ten Hag’s departure on Monday.
Interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has stepped in to lead the team for the cup match.
