Ruben Amorim's Man Utd move gets Jurgen Klopp level response as Sporting left devastated

There’s a good reason why supporters .

The 39-year-old has been such a success, his devastated Sporting fanbase simply don't want him to go. And that can only be a good sign for fans as they await the arrival of their new manager, who will start work on November 11.

Amorim has been Sporting’s saviour, ending a 19-year wait for the Primeira Liga title and then following it up with a second crown two years later. Some feel he has jumped ship too soon, with the club seemingly on the verge of a Portuguese football dynasty.

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Disappointment aside, all associated with Sporting are in agreement about his talents: Amorim is adored. When he was first appointed by Sporting in 2020, aged 35, Amorim faced similar questions to those already coming his way at United.

He had joined a team at its lowest ebb and there was a concern that he lacked the experience. It all sounds very familiar. “E se corre bem?” Amorim responded at the time. “What if everything goes well?”

It quickly became a mantra of Sporting fans because Amorim’s off-pitch optimism bred on-pitch success. He won the league title in his first full season. Winning over the Sporting supporters has certainly been one of Amorim’s greatest achievements.

Lisbon is a city dominated by Benfica so when a former Estádio da Luz player arrives at Sporting in any capacity, the pressure is immediately intense. For almost a decade, Amorim marshalled the Benfica midfielder. He was a childhood Benfica fan to boot.

Despite this, he has cast aside that association and, like the immense Ponte Vasco da Gama across Lisbon’s Tagus River, has impressively bridged the divide. While ex-United boss Erik Ten Hag was regularly criticised for being a weak communicator, Amorim’s ability to connect with players consistently crops up as one of his best qualities.

Sporting’s squad are unsurprisingly under strict instructions not to talk to the media, but one member of the dressing-room told me that “the relationships the coach created” were at the heart of Amorim’s title triumphs. The Portuguese manager’s “communication skills”, “leadership” and “tactical vision” were also highlighted.

It is no surprise then that Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres, centre-back Gonçalo Inácio and teenage winger Geovany Quenda are among those who could be in line for an immediate reunion with Amorim in Manchester. He is a coach who commands loyalty. He also consistently makes players better.

’s João Palhinha and Manuel Ugarte – already at United – are also among those who have benefited from Amorim’s midas touch. A Sporting fan in one local group offered to share his thoughts on Amorim, but warned “I can’t promise I won’t cry”. Another said he hadn’t felt this sad “since Ronaldo left”. There were many more like them. This is a departure that has reverberated around Lisbon much like ’s did in .

There is a fear that the strong foundations Amorim built will now crumble. It doesn’t really matter who is appointed next at Sporting, Benfica and FC Porto have already been boosted by Amorim’s exit.

Manchester United fans will now hope they, too, can feel the benefit. Old Trafford has made heroes of two other arrivals from Sporting. Like and , Ruben Amorim seems to have the self-belief required to make a mark in Manchester.

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