Given his success with Sporting CP, which has seen him win 71% of his matches in charge, Ruben Amorim will arrive at Old Trafford with high expectations of being an immediate success with Manchester United.
The 39-year-old has won two league titles during his tenure in Portugal, joining the Red Devils next week as he looks to make his mark following the upcoming international break.
However, he will have a huge task to turn around the early season slump that sees United currently occupy 13th place in the Premier League, 13 points off leaders Liverpool – a huge gap given the near £200m spent by Erik ten Hag during the summer.
It will take a quick transition for the first-team squad if they are to immediately adapt to the new manager’s 3-4-3 system, which is reliant on frequent overlaps from the wing-backs along with rapid transitions into forward areas.
Amorim will be hoping that his ideology will allow players who have been underperforming to flourish, whilst also allowing some to reach the next level, as demonstrated from his time in Portugal.
Viktor Gyokeres’ stats at Sporting
Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres has caught the eye over the last two months for his goalscoring exploits under Amorim in Liga Portugal, playing a pivotal role in the club’s recent success.
The Swedish international arrived in a £20m deal from Championship side Coventry City during the summer of 2023 after their failure to gain promotion to the Premier League – a bargain fee given his recent form for the club.
During his first campaign in Portugal, Gyokeres registered 43 goals and 14 assists in just 50 appearances as he helped Amorim’s side claim the league title ahead of Porto and Benfica.
However, in the opening months of the 2024/25 season, he’s taken his performances to the next level, already notching 23 goals and four assists in his opening 17 outings – including a hat-trick in the Champions League victory over Manchester City earlier this week.
As a result, there’s no surprise to see such interest in his signature, with many United fans undoubtedly wanting the 26-year-old to follow Amorim’s footsteps and make the move to the Theatre of Dreams in the near future.
Any transfer for Gyokeres would set the Red Devils back around €100m (£83m) given that’s the price tag of his current release clause, but it’s unknown if the club would be willing to match such a figure, potentially allowing one player to star instead.
The player who could be Amorim’s new Gyokeres
Big-money striker Rasmus Hojlund is yet to hit the ground running at Old Trafford this campaign, scoring just two times in all competitions – an average of one goal every five games.
His last outing against Chelsea was no different, failing to find the back of the net once more, failing to even register a shot, before being replaced by Joshua Zirkzee – who has scored just once for his new club – in the closing stages.
Rasmus Hojlund’s Premier League stats for Man Utd (2024/25) | |
|---|---|
Statistics | Tally |
Games played | 6 |
Minutes played | 343 |
Goals scored | 1 |
Shots taken | 4 |
Duels won | 38% |
Aerial duels won | 26% |
Dribbles completed | 40% |
Stats via FotMob | |
The Red Devils have only registered nine league goals in ten matches this season, showcasing their lack of threat, which could hand academy star Chido Obi-Martin an opportunity in the first-team under Amorim before too long.
The 16-year-old joined the Red Devils from Premier League rivals Arsenal during the off-season, originally linking up with the U18 side, but he’s already taking the level by storm despite his tender age.
After notably netting 32 goals in 21 games at U18 level for the Gunners, Obi-Martin registered a hat-trick on his academy debut for his new employers against Nottingham Forest a week ago, before contributing with an assist in the 8-0 rout of Leeds United last weekend.
In The Pipeline
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Despite being 16, the striker stands at 6 foot 2, having that big presence that Amorim desires in his centre-forwards as seen with Gyokeres at Sporting.
He has the pace to beat the defenders, along with the strength to hold them up, before having a cool head to slot home – leading to former Arsenal academy coach Jack Wilshere dubbing the youngster as “exceptional”.
Given his age, it may take a little bit of time before the new boss utilises the talent within his first team at Old Trafford, but he’s proven he knows where the back of the net is.
The lack of goals will be a concern for the 39-year-old, with Obi-Martin certainly one to watch during Amorim’s tenure in the North West.
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