“My teammates have asked a lot about him” - Manuel Ugarte shares what ‘surprised’ Manchester United players about Ruben Amorim
Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte has revealed his club teammates were curious to know about incoming head coach Ruben Amorim. The Uruguay international played under Amorim at Sporting before moving to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Red Devils announced the signing of Sporting boss as their next head coach following an atrocious start to the season under Erik ten Hag. Speaking after his side's 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday, November 3, the midfielder talked about the incoming Manchester United boss, saying (via SportBible):
"I saw that Sporting fans were upset and that’s understandable because the coach is a great coach. It’s good for United, we have to take advantage of it and get him to convey his ideas as quickly as possible. I think it’s going to be a different dynamic and the day-to-day will be similar to Sporting’s."
He concluded, adding:
"The league, the country, the football... It’s a big challenge for him but we all know he has the ability. It’s positive, mainly because the club needs to start building a path, which is important, and the coach will be key to that. My teammates have asked a lot about him. What surprised them was his age (39 years). He’s also very hungry to win and that’s very important. I can tell he’ll enjoy it."
Manchester United will hope Ruben Amorim can take them back to the summit of the Premier League. He will be the sixth full-time head coach in the 11 years since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club.
Incoming Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim's earlier assessment of Manuel Ugarte
Incoming Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim worked with Manuel Ugarte for two seasons before the latter departed for Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 in a reported €60million deal. The midfielder played 85 times for the Portuguese tactician in Lisbon, helping him win the Portuguese League Cup during their time together.
Amorim's Sporting signed Morten Hjulmand as Ugarte's replacement. Explaining the move, Ruben Amorim had said back in 2023 (via SportBible):
"They are completely different characteristics. ‘Morten doesn’t have Ugarte’s ability to find players from all sides of the pitch with incredible speed. Morten has, and Ugarte didn’t have, the ability to read the game, anticipate moves and be well positioned. We have to adapt the team to the players we have and Morten will also adapt to our way of playing, to our high pressing."
Ruben Amorim and Manuel Ugarte will reunite at Manchester United on November 11 when the Portuguese tactician takes over at the club.