Manchester United finally look in a good place off the field, and while there’s work to be done on the field, the improvements must never stop.
Ruben Amorim has heeded that message as he has gone back to his homeland to add a key man to the structure at Man Utd.
When Amorim joined Old Trafford, he brought multiple members of staff with him, people who had worked with him throughout his career.
The latest addition hasn’t worked with him before, but brings elite pedigree in a new role that the Man Utd manager probably thinks he can add a lot of value in.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim participates in the official training at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 27, 2025. Manchester United and ASEAN All-Stars are set to face off for the Maybank Challenge Cup during their post-season friendly trip to Asia.
Photo by Hari Anggara/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Man Utd in negotiations with Acacio Valentim
The Portuguese flavour is strong with Man Utd’s coaching team right now, and the playing staff also has a good number of Portuguese-speaking players.
As such, Amorim and Man Utd may have thought it was best to bring in a high-performance individual from Portugal to help with, and direct the team operations.
Portuguese outlet Record reports that United are ‘already in negotiations’ with Acacio Valentim, the Team Operations Director at SC Braga, who left the club in mid-June this year.
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While there are some details to iron out, the report states that he will ‘soon join’ United as initial negotiations have left ‘good prospects for a positive outcome’.
Valentim was the Team Operations Director at SC Braga for four years, a job he took after spending three years in the same role at Shanghai SPG.
He also counts a role at FC Porto among his experiences, and the report calls him a ‘well-known’ name in Portuguese football.
Acacio Valentim’s role and responsibility
While Valentim’s role and name in Portugal are well-known, the job title of a “Team Operations Director” is pretty new for an English club.
A general idea of his role and responsibility can be taken from looking back at SC Braga’s official website when they announced his hiring in 2021.
The press release said: “Born in Vila Nova de Famalicão in 1976 (age 45), Acácio Valentim arrives at SC Braga after successful spells at FC Porto (over 16 years) and Shanghai SIPG FC (over the last 3 years), clubs where he made a decisive contribution, as Team Manager, to winning several titles: seven national championships, four Portuguese Cups, six Super Cups, one Europa League, one Chinese Super League and one Chinese Super Cup.
“Acácio Valentim joins the Club with the clear objective of continuing SC Braga’s growth and affirmation project, both nationally and internationally.”
It is clear from the above that Valentim’s role will be a more strategic and leadership one instead of just being another member of the coaching staff.
He could be an addition who takes some of Jason Wilcox’s responsibilities related to the playing staff, while Wilcox concentrates his efforts on the structure and recruitment for the whole club.
It continues United’s efforts to assemble a “best-in-class” team, even if it means breaking new ground on what’s generally done in English football.