- The Man United midfielder previously worked under new boss Ruben Amorim
- Manuel Ugarte revealed that Man United’s stars are excited about Amorim’s arrival
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Manuel Ugarte has given his verdict on the appointment of Ruben Amorim as Manchester United’s next permanent head coach and revealed the one key factor that ‘surprises’ teammates who previously worked under the Sporting Lisbon boss.
Amorim is tasked with returning United to former glory after losing his way under ex-boss Erik ten Hag, who delivered two titles during his reign but also oversaw dismal Premier League campaigns.
The Portuguese has put pen to paper on an initial two-and-a-half-year contract, which the club can extend for a further 12 months if they wish.
United’s willingness to bring the 39-year-old head coach to the club saw them pay one million euros on top of an initial £8.3 million release clause to secure an early departure.
Amorim will officially start in his new role on November 11 and will use the upcoming international break to familiarize himself with his surroundings before his first match in charge, which will take place at Ipswich Town on November 24.
Manuel Ugarte (pictured) has given his verdict on the appointment of Ruben Amorim as the next permanent head coach of Manchester United
Amorim has been named Man United’s next head coach and will start on November 11
Ugarte (left) previously played under the management of Amorim at Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon
Meanwhile, Ugarte has previous experience with Amorim at Sporting Lisbon, where he won the Portuguese Cup together and made 85 appearances in two seasons before leaving for PSG in 2023.
However, Ugarte has fond memories of working with Amorim and is desperate to return to his former best form after struggling since his £51million summer move to Old Trafford.
Ugarte hailed Amorim’s impending arrival in Manchester, complimenting the talented coach to DAZN after Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea: ‘I saw that the Sporting fans were upset and you can understand that because the gaffer is a great coach.
“It’s good for United, we have to take advantage of it and that he gets his idea across as quickly as possible. I think it will be a different dynamic and the daily practice will be similar to that of Sporting.
“The league, the country, football is changing… It’s a big challenge for him, but we all know he has the skills,” he added.
Ugarte revealed that Man United players are ‘surprised’ as Amorim is only 39 years old
Ugarte has had a difficult start to life since joining Old Trafford for £51 million in the summer
Ugarte’s first-hand experience of working under Amorim has also made him a prominent figure in the United dressing room, with players eager to understand what is expected of the new dugout chief.
Most notably, the midfielder revealed that his United teammates were surprised by Amorim’s age, 39, which makes him the club’s youngest manager since the 1960s.
Ugarte continued: “There are a lot of questions about him from my colleagues. What surprised them was their age.
‘He is also very hungry to win and that is very important. I say he will like it,” he added.