According to Ruben Amorim, the incoming manager of Manchester United, the English club declined his desire to take over at the end of current season, stating, “It was now or never.”

After Erik ten Hag’s dismissal on Monday, Amorim will replace him as manager of United on November 11. Sporting Lisbon is the current Portuguese champion.

Amorim conducted a highly agitated press conference following Sporting’s 5-1 victory over Estrela da Amadora on Friday, just hours after being officially named United’s next manager. He went into depth on the circumstances around a decision that he said changed his life.Even though he has coached Sporting since 2020, Amorim claims he has changed his mind “many times” over what to do in response to United’s interest, and he has always intended for this season to be his last.

“The only thing I asked for was that it be at the end of the season,” Amorim explained, “but they said no, that couldn’t be done. It was now or never, and if that wasn’t possible, they would pursue another option. ”

I was faced with a life-altering decision with just three days to make it. And that was my action.United wasn’t the only team to approach Amorim about paying out the buyout clause in his contract with Sporting, according to him.

“I had other offers but I didn´t want them, and this one I did, so I made my decision,” according to him.

“People say it was about the money, but there was another team that wanted to hire me before and they paid three times more than Manchester (United).”

Though he seemed on the verge of tears on one occasion, Amorim had the “best time of my life” when playing for Sporting, where he won the Portuguese league twice in four full seasons. He could “feel the anger and disappointment of some fans” during the match against Estrela.

“I understand that they (Sporting´s fans) are hurt,” he pointed out, “but we have to keep going forward, time heals all wounds.”

As for the January transfer window, Amorim promised not to bring any players from Sporting to United, but he did say he would be bringing his coaching staff from Sporting to United.

He mentioned that he hasn’t had any conversations with United players yet and chose not to discuss the club extensively before his arrival on November 11th.

Prior to that, he will oversee two additional Sporting matches – one in the Champions League against Manchester City and the other in the Portuguese league against Braga.

On November 24th, United will play Ipswich away in the Premier League, marking Amorim’s debut with the club.

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