- Another day of discussions took place on Wednesday before United’s game
- Amorim is expected to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal worth £6.5million
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Ruben Amorim is close to being appointed as Manchester United‘s new manager.
After another day of talks between United and Sporting Lisbon, the 39-year-old coach is set to succeed Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford by signing a two-and-a-half-year contract worth £6.5million-a-year with the option of a 12-month extension.
However, Amorim will not be able to join United until the start of the international break on November 10, which means caretaker boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will remain in temporary charge for three more games against Chelsea, PAOK Salonika and Leicester – having engineered a 5-2 win over the Foxes in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
United director Sir Dave Brailsford added to the intrigue before the game when a video of him arriving at Old Trafford and appearing to confirm Amorim’s appointment was circulated on social media. United are expected to pay £9.2million for the Portuguese.
Amorim will become United’s sixth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and is expected to bring his own back-room team which includes assistants Carlos Fernandes, Adelio Candido and Emanuel Ferro as well as goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital and sports scientist Paulo Barreira.
Van Nistelrooy’s role in the new set-up remains unclear, but the Dutchman insisted after the game that he wants to stay on after returning to Old Trafford as Ten Hag’s No 2 in the summer.
‘I came here as an assistant to help the club. Now in this role, I’m helping as long as needed,’ said Van Nistelrooy. ‘In the future in any capacity, I’m here to help the club further to build towards the future that’s what I’m here for.
‘I’m here to help and serve and 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.’
Van Nistelrooy did not hold a post-match press conference and will instead address the media on Thursday in his first media briefing since stepping up to replace Ten Hag.
