Ruben Amorim confirms Manchester United January plans & stance on £84m star

Ruben Amorim has spoken for the first time since his appointment as Manchester United manager was confirmed.

The Portuguese boss will start his tenure at Old Trafford on 11 November, 13 days before he takes charge of his first game. His start at United was delayed to ensure Amorim could oversee three more games at Sporting Lisbon prior to the November international break.

Sporting won the first of those, with a 5-1 victory over Estrela on Friday night maintaining the team’s perfect start to the season. Viktor Gyokeres scored four in the Liga Portugal win, and has been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

However, with a reported €100m (£84m) buyout clause, United are unlikely to be in a position to sign the Swedish striker any time soon. “Gyokeres costs 100 million and it's very difficult. I'm not going to pick up any Sporting player in January,” Amorim revealed after the Estrela win.

The 39-year-old also revealed he plans to bring his coaching staff with him to United - putting Ruud van Nistelrooy’s future into doubt - and explained that he tried to convince Ineos to allow him to start his new role in the summer.

"The season started, we started very well, and then Manchester United came, they pay above the compensation clause and the president defends the club's interests," Amorim said. "I never discussed anything with the president. For three days I said I wanted to stay until the end of the season, but then I was told it was not possible.

"It was now or never, or Manchester would go for another option. So, I had three days to make my mind up, to make a decision that changes radically my life."

“I've had other opportunities - the president and [director of football] Hugo Viana can confirm this. It's not the first or the second time that I have been requested by another team and I don't want another team.

"After Sporting I wanted that one, Manchester, and I want that context because that context allows me to do things my way and the club believes me that way.

“There's a time when I have to take a step forward in my career. That's what happened. It was harder for me than to any Sporting fan, believe me, but I had to do this.

“People say it's about the money, but there was another team that wanted to hire me before and they paid three times more than Manchester,” he added.

"I understand the disappointment of the fans but today is not the farewell. We still have two important games against Manchester City [in the Champions League] and Braga [in the league] to maintain the lead."

Amorim faces a trip to Ipswich Town in his first United game on 23 November, before matches against Bodo/Glimt, Everton and Arsenal.