Portuguese Ruben Amorim, 39, has become troubled Manchester United’s youngest coach since 1969 when Wilf McGuinness succeeded Matt Busby in June 1969. He also becomes the 10th manager since the era of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson who left the club in May 2013 after a tenure of 27 years.

In naming Amorim, Manchester United are hoping that one of Europe’s brightest young managers can restore the struggling team to its former glories.

He will join United on November 11 with a contract until 2027, and a club option for an additional year, once he has fulfilled his obligations to Sporting — a club he revived during his four-and-a-half years in charge.

“Ruben is one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football,” United said in a statement.

“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.”

The charismatic Amorim, who usually employs a crowd-pleasing 3-4-3 formation with high pressing and possession-based football, took Sporting to Primeira Liga titles in 2021 and 2024 and they lead the standings again this season

United, who have been in the doldrums by their standards since manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, moved swiftly to secure Amorim after axing Dutchman Ten Hag on Oct. 28 following another woeful start to the season.

The club agreed to pay 11 million euros ($11.96 million) to trigger a release clause in Amorim’s contract.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is well aware that his interim manager stint at Manchester United will be a short one, but the Dutchman said on Thursday that he expected to still be in charge for this weekend’s Premier League clash at home to Chelsea.

Former United striker Van Nistelrooy stepped up from his assistant coach role at the club after the sacking of Erik ten Hag on Monday, and Sporting coach Ruben Amorim is widely expected to be installed as manager at Old Trafford very soon.

The temporary coach got off to a winning start with a 5-2 League Cup quarter-final win over visitors Leicester City on Wednesday, and at Thursday’s press conference, it was suggested he will still be there for the game with Chelsea on Sunday.

“I am guessing that too, so yes, it’s going to be a short job as an interim, that was communicated very clear and I was happy with that,” Van Nistelrooy told reporters.

“Obviously, it was difficult that Erik had to leave, I was very disappointed, with very mixed feelings about that, but you have to switch the mindset to win because 75,000 people are waiting and celebrating and millions are watching at home.”

While the 48-year-old Van Nistelrooy accepts his new job will be a short-lived one, he plans to return to his previous role once a new manager is installed.

“I decided to come back here for a very important reason. I came as an assistant to help the club forward and I’m still very motivated to do so in any capacity,” he said.

“As an assistant, and now as an interim manager, and after that I go back to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next.

“I’m very motivated to stay here and help the club forward, that’s my absolute goal. I can speak to you about my side of the story and after, when the new manager is signed and conversations take place, we have to see how things develop.”

Van Nistelrooy, while upset about the departure of compatriot Ten Hag, knows in this job it is results that matter.

United finished a disappointing eighth last season and, while an FA Cup final win over Manchester City may have helped prolong Ten Hag’s stay, four losses in the opening nine league games leaving his side 14th ultimately proved his downfall.

“In the end, it is also clear in football that it is the results and Erik also said, in pre-season we had new staff and all were very positive and all working hard to bring the club forward,” Van Nistelrooy said.

“There are things you can’t explain sometimes. So many games we felt we could get a better result, talking Crystal Palace, West Ham, Porto, Fenerbahce (in the Europa League), but we also know it is about results and that is part of our job.”

Talks are reportedly ongoing between United and Sporting, with Amorim saying he will not provide any news until after his side’s next game on Friday, and Van Nistelrooy too was giving nothing away when asked about the Portuguese coach.

“Is he already announced? So we don’t know,” the interim manager said. “Again, what the future will bring, we will see.”

-Reuters

Manchester City winger Savinho and defender Manuel Akanji joined the club’s lengthy injury list after Wednesday’s 2-1 League Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and manager Pep Guardiola said he has been left with 13 available players in his squad.

Savinho was taken off on a stretcher in the 62nd minute with an apparent ankle injury, while Akanji did not start the match due to a muscular issue during the warm-up.

City are already without key players Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, and Kyle Walker while Oscar Bobb, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish have also missed recent games.

“We have 13 players (available) so we are in real difficulty. The guys that play, they finish most of them with problems and we’ll see how they recover,” Guardiola told reporters.

“I think we are in trouble, because in nine years we’ve never been in the situation with so many injuries.

“Hopefully he (Savinho) is not in danger but we will see… Akanji yesterday, I didn’t know it, in the last action felt something in the muscular part of his body and today in the warm-up he didn’t feel good.”

City lead the Premier League by one point from Liverpool and next travel to Bournemouth on Saturday.

-Reuters