New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has disabused the minds of his critics that he joined Manchester United because of money.
We reported earlier that the new Manchester United manager is ranking 5th on the chart of the highest-paid managers in the Premier League.
His annual salary is estimated at £6.5m. This is less than what the club paid his predecessor Erik Ten Hag, whose annual wage was estimated at £6.75m.
Despite the sharp drop in remuneration, the 39-year-old is still among the top-paid managers in the English topflight.
Speaking about reports of his financial emoluments being the reason for his move to United, Amorim said he is not joining Manchester United because of money but due to his love for the club.
He added other Football Clubs were ready to pay more than Manchester United but he turned them down.
“Some people say I joined Man United for money. It’s not”.
“Other clubs were prepared to pay three times more and I refused… as this is the club I wanted: Man United,” he said as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.
Before the imminent move to Manchester United, Ruben Amorim was on the radar of top clubs in Europe. He was interviewed in the summer for managerial vacancies at Liverpool and West Ham United.
He was also on the radar of Bayern Munich and Manchester City, including Barcelona. However, the Portuguese tactician revealed he has always wanted to join Manchester United.
In another excerpt, Amorim revealed his slated move to Manchester United came at exactly the right time because he wanted to leave Sporting Lisbon at the end of the ongoing season.
“I would no longer be Sporting Lisbon manager in a few months. So, the Manchester United move was just appropriate and timely,” he said.
Futballnews understands that before Manchester United sacked Erik ten Hag, the club were reportedly locked in talks with Amorim.
This saw them broker a deal easily to pave the way for the emergence of the Sporting Lisbon boss as United’s new manager.
Manchester United announced Ruben Amorim as new manager
Manchester United announced him as the new manager on Friday, November 2, 2024, but he is expected to assume the reins as the club’s new manager on November 11, 2024, during the international break.
He has signed a three-year contract with the club which is expected to end on June 30, 2027, with a 2028 option.
Amorim won Taca da Liga with Sporting Lisbon back-to-back in 2019 and 2020. He also won the Primeira Liga in his debut season and in the 2023-24 season.
Before his heroics in the dugout with Sporting Lisbon, he also shone brightly for Braga in the Portuguese topflight and has bagged several individual awards in the league.
Also on the Portuguese’s managerial scorecard is his number of goals scored since last season with Sporting Lisbon. He has led the club to not only becoming the best side in Portugal but Europe. The team ranks first on the chart of top European clubs with the most league goals since 2023-24 season.
He has been tipped to turn around Manchester United’s fortunes and return the team to its glory days. His first match as Manchester United will be an away Premier League fixture against Ipswich Town on November 24, 2024.
