Ruben Amorim reveals cruel Man Utd ultimatum as boss confirms ...

Ruben Amorim has revealed Manchester United told him it was “now or never” with regards to becoming their new manager after Sir Jim Ratcliffe rejected his decision to delay his departure from Sporting Lisbon – while the manager has made a short-term transfer vow after landing the Old Trafford job.

The Red Devils confirmed the appointment of the 39-year-old on Friday just four days after pulling the plug on the Erik ten Hag era. The Dutchman leaves Old Trafford having guided the club to two major trophies – but a long way from where they want to be regarding league position and form. Therefore, 14th-place Manchester United will feel confident that the only way is up.

Amorim has signed an initial deal to 2027 at Old Trafford, with the option of a further year, and will begin his new role on Monday November 11. His first game is slotted to be away at Ipswich on Sunday November 24, with his appointment costing United £9.2m (€11m, $11.9m) in compensation after they met his release clause.

However, Amorim has now revealed he had initially asked Ratcliffe to delay his appointment until next summer, with the British billionaire ruthlessly hitting him with a ‘now or never’ conundrum.

Revealing all on the move, Amorim told the Portuguese media: “I had a talk with the president (Frederico Varandas) and I said whatever happened this would be my last season with Sporting. The president is here. He can confirm that.

“The season started, we know that we started very well. And then this situation with Manchester United came.

“Manchester United appear, they pay above the compensation clause and the president defends the club’s interests. I never discussed anything with the president about this bargaining.

“The only question I made was only to go in the end of the season. For three days I said I wanted to stay until the end of the season, but then I was told it was not possible.

“It was now or never, or Manchester would go for another option. So, I had three days to make my mind up, to make a decision that changes radically my life. But I had three days to make this decision and that’s what I did.”

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Revealing how he wanted to make the next step and was left with little choice, Amorim added: “I’ve had other opportunities – the president and (director of football) Hugo Viana can confirm this. It’s not the first or the second time that I have been requested by another team and I don’t want another team.

“After Sporting I wanted that one, Manchester, and I want that context because that context allows me to do things my way and the club believes me that way. It’s just like Sporting.

“There’s a time when I have to take a step forward in my career. That’s what happened.

“It was harder for me than for any Sporting fan, believe me, but I had to do this.”

Revealing the full extent of the dilemma he faced, the 39-year-old, who boasts a 70.74% win record at Sporting, added: “I mean, let’s not go around the bush.

“There was a club that said that if I rejected it now in six months I wouldn’t get it, and I knew that in six months I would leave Sporting, so I did not want to regret not making this decision.

“I know it was a disappointment to the Sporting fans and not take the risk or wait for the end of the season, and then I wouldn’t have the only club I wanted to coach.

“The president knows about this because I had other offers and I didn’t want them before, but this one I did want so I made my decision.

“But now I go home happier because I have explained. People say ‘it’s about the money’, but there was another team that wanted to hire me before and they paid three times more than Manchester.”

Amorim understands that Sporting supporters may not forgive him for the timing of his exit, but hope they at least understand.

In return, he has promised not to sign any of their players in the January window, though has confirmed he will also be taking his backroom staff with him to Old Trafford.

“I will take my staff with me,” Amorim said. “That was always one of my conditions.

“I brought them since Casa Pia, the first club that I coached. For the moment, I’m focused on the games, I’m here to defend Sporting. That’s it to the end.”

Latest Man Utd transfer news: Five Sporting players linked with Amorim reunion

Despite Amorim’s vow not to sign any of Sporting’s stars in January, reports of a reunion between the 39-year-old and some of his players at Old Trafford have already begun to gather pace.

The most obvious target is striker Viktor Gyokeres, who netted four times on Friday night as Amorim’s farewell tour began with a 5-1 routing of Estrela Amadora.

The Swede now has 20 goals and four assists from 16 appearances this season, taking his tally to 63 goals in 66 appearances for the reigning Primeira Liga champions.

The striker is understood to be fuming at his manager’s exit, leading to speculation he could well depart himself at the first opportunity. And while Tim Sherwood claims “100% United should sign him”, our understanding is that the doors are opening on a move elsewhere in the Premier League.

United are also being linked with a player in Ousmane Diomande to Old Trafford, though a deal for the defender will not come cheap.

However, sources have told TEAMtalk that Amorim’s real desired trio are another Sporting trio and we understand the three players’ names came up in his initial conversations with Ratcliffe and sporting director Dan Ashworth.

How Man Utd might line up under Ruben Amorim

A purveyor of a 3-4-3 system that has served him well throughout his career, United could field a very different formation to the 4-2-3-1 formation favoured by Ten Hag.

But do United have the players to suit such a formation? Time will tell on that front and much may depend on the fitness of some of those players.

There could also be several high-profile departures, with many players ill-suited to such a system…

READ MORE: Ruben Amorim tipped to dispense of two Ten Hag signings immediately in brutal first act as Man Utd boss