Starting XI worth over €550m - How Man United could line-up under new boss Rúben Amorim

Rúben Amorim has been announced as Manchester United’s new manager after Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday. Old Trafford chiefs immediately moved to appoint Amorim, paying Sporting CP’s release clause of €11 million to secure the highly-regarded 39-year-old. Amorim, however, won’t join United until November 11th after the international break with his first game away to Ipswich in the Premier League. The Portuguese boss was poached by Sporting CP from Braga after winning ten of his opening 13 games and he transformed the Lisbon giants. 

Amorim led Sporting to their first league title in 19 years in 2021 aged just 36 and delivered their second league title last season. The former Portugal international has earned a reputation for developing and improving young players at Sporting like Nuno Mendes, Ousmane Diomande and Matheus Nunes. Amorim is widely viewed as one of the most tactically fascinating young coaches and we’ve analysed how Manchester United could line-up in his preferred approach. 

Rúben Amorim’s tactical approach at Sporting CP

Amorim deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation with an emphasis on generating high possession and being flexible from an attacking perspective. The three centre-backs are crucial in the build up phase with the wing-backs providing the width and one of the centre-backs often progresses into midfield to create passing angles. Under Amorim, Sporting have become incredibly fluid at constructing attacks and they are very press-resistant. 

 

The financial disparity between the big three Portuguese clubs - Porto, Sporting and Benfica - and the other top-flight clubs means it’s imperative to factor in their dominance when analysing tactical approaches. For example, Sporting had the fourth highest line in the top ten European leagues last season but Porto and Benfica ranked second and third, which highlights how they can play aggressively due to their domestic dominance - Man United ranked 54th (FBref). Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Sporting are the top scorers across the top leagues (126) when including the Liga Portugal.

How Manchester United could line-up under Rúben Amorim

How Amorim will adopt his favoured back three formation at United in the Premier League will be fascinating as he’s not expected to change his approach. Only two clubs - Crystal Palace and Brentford - have deployed a back three in the Premier League this season with United playing a back four throughout Ten Hag’s tenure. Amorim will, in time, be afforded financial backing in the transfer window to sign players suited to his system but that’s unlikely to be in January due to financial pressures with United spending around €30m in changing managers. If Amorim had a fully fit squad to choose from then United would have players that could thrive in his preferred 3-4-1-2 formation.

Lisandro Martínez, Mattijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro - yet to play for the club - would represent three quality options at centre-back. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui would battle to play on the right but the left-hand side continues to be a major concern. Luke Shaw hasn’t played for United since February while Tyrell Malacia hasn’t featured for well over a year. Shaw is an elite option when fit but he simply can’t be relied upon and this is a priority area to address in the transfer market. Manuel Ugarte flourished under Amorim at Sporting and he’d likely form a midfield partnership alongside Kobbie Mainoo with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen providing back up. For his two attacking players behind the striker, Amorim has generally preferred using one technically proficient No.10 type player with a more traditional wide attacker - which would suit Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford. Alejandro Garancho, Amad and Joshua Zirkzee could also be deployed in these roles with Rasmus Højlund comfortably United’s best number nine.