LISBON (AFP) – Ruben Amorim revealed Friday that Manchester United told him “it was now or never” as he looked ahead to taking over the Old Trafford hotseat midway through the season.
The 39-year-old Sporting Lisbon coach was confirmed as the new United manager earlier in the day to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
Amorim said that he could have accepted “three times” more money from another club but his heart was set on United.
However, his desire was to stay with Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon until the end of the season and then switch to the English giants in the summer — an idea quickly quashed by United.
“The only question I made was to go at the end of the season,” Amorim told a news conference.
“But I was told it was now or never. I had three days to make the decision. That’s what I did.
“If I rejected it now, in six months I would not have got it. I didn’t want to regret making this decision.”
On Friday, Amorim saw Sporting defeat Estrala 5-1 for a 10th win in 10 Portuguese league games this season.
“It’s my choice to leave Sporting,” added Amorim, who will officially take charge of United on November 11 and admitted he had already planned to leave Sporting at the end of the season.
He said it was a difficult decision which “will completely change my life”.
“I had the best period of my life here, but it’s my choice” although “I changed my mind several times”, he said.
“Manchester was the club I wanted after Sporting.”
