Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has had a challenging time at Old Trafford.placeholder image
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has had a challenging time at Old Trafford. | Getty Images
Manchester United have had a mixed start compounded by derby day defeat
It is approaching a year since Ruben Amorim arrived at Manchester United, with questions still to be asked over how much progress has been made.
Huge spending in attacking areas over the summer has made fans hopeful that we will at least see an improvement on last year’s dire 44 Premier League goals. But such a spend in one area of the pitch has only raised concerns that Amorim has not built a balanced side of players all capable of playing in his demanding system.
Chelsea are next up in the Premier League, ahead of must-win clashes with Brentford and Sunderland before the North-West derby with Liverpool. Despite the pressure mounting on Amorim, he maintains his admirers on the continent.
Benfica target Amorim as potential next manager
Reported by The Times, Benfica’s prospective next president João Noronha Lopes has already set his sights on Amorim as a future manager at the Portuguese giants and was in attendance at the Manchester derby on Sunday as he ‘steps up’ his pursuit.
Lopes is the favourite to win Benfica’s presidential election on October 25 according to recent polls and he was in attendance alongside right-hand men Pedro Ferreira and Nuno Gomes, the latter said to be one of Amorim’s closest friends, as they took a closer look at the 40-year-old United head coach.
Amorim might be the former boss of Benfica’s arch-rivals Sporting CP but this will come as no issue, as he spent nine years as a player at Benfica having spent time in their youth system.
United’s board have publicly backed Amorim on multiple occasions and reportedly are still intending on sticking around for a long-term project with the Portuguese at the helm, amidst speculation over his future. But this interest from his homeland will certainly raise eyebrows if the pressure were to mount further over the coming weeks and months.
‘Amorim will be the coach of Benfica one day’ - Nuno Gomes
It makes perfect sense that Amorim retains admirers in Portugal, having led Sporting to two league titles and laid the foundations for a third during his successful period at the club. While he earnt the chance to go to United, reports suggest that he will be welcomed back home if things do not go to plan.
Speaking recently with Portuguese media, Gomes, who will become vice-president of Benfica if Lopes is elected to the top job, said: “Ruben Amorim is the coach of Manchester United, I can’t answer that question. One thing I know, Ruben Amorim will be the coach of Benfica one day.”
Gomes said of their attendance at the derby: “I don’t want to talk about it. I’m a friend of his, he has a contract with Manchester United. We were watching the game, we were thinking about the future.”
Lopes added: “We take the opportunity to prepare for the future. I wasn’t with Bernardo Silva or Ruben Amorim after the game.”
Continue Reading