Ruben Amorim’s move to Manchester United looks like it’s edging closer.
David Ornstein revealed on Monday that a verbal agreement had been reached between Amorim and United, with official confirmation not too far away after Fabrizio Romano announced on Tuesday that Manchester United had agreed to pay his release clause.
If all goes to plan, Amorim should become the new Man United manager in the next few days.
At 40, the Sporting boss is one of the most exciting young coaches in the world and even ended the Portuguese side’s 19-year wait to win the league in the 2021/22 campaign – going unbeaten that season.
His record speaks volumes, boasting a win percentage of 71.3% after winning 174, drawing 34, and losing 36 of his 244 games in charge at the time of writing.
That surpasses Sir Alex Ferguson’s record of 59.67% – albeit the legendary United boss took charge of over 800 games in his 26 years at Old Trafford.
But how does Amorim’s record compare to every manager to have taken over the club on either an interim or permanent basis since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013?
Ralf Rangnick – 37%
Following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick was appointed as an interim manager for the remainder of the 2021/22 season.
Arriving with a reputation of turning clubs fortunes around, Rangnick was unable to work his magic at United.
Despite a winning start, he would oversee heavy defeats such as a 4-0 loss against Liverpool, in which he claimed United’s rivals were “six years ahead” in terms of development at the time.
Poor form lasted until the end of the season and the Red Devils ended the season with their lowest points tally (58) in the club’s Premier League history. He was meant to stay on in a consultancy role for another two years but left that summer due to his commitments as head coach of the Austrian national team.
David Moyes – 51%
The first manager to come through the door after Ferguson’s retirement, David Moyes was handed the most daunting of tasks.
His superb work at Everton saw him recommended to the club by his Scottish counterpart personally.
He won a trophy in his first competitive match as United boss, beating Wigan Athletic 2-0 in the Community Shield, becoming the first man in charge of the Red Devils to win a trophy in his first season at the club.
That didn’t continue and results would continue to unravel, with his fate being sealed two days after losing to his former employers.
Moyes lost his job 10 months into a six-year contract and guided United to a seventh-placed finish, meaning they had missed out on the Champions League for the first time since 1995 and the first time they had ever been outside of the top three since the Premier League was founded in 1992.
Louis van Gaal – 52%
Louis van Gaal’s appointment was a historic one as he became the first Man United manager born outside of the British Isles.
The Dutchman would also struggle to get the best out of his squad, with big-money arrivals like Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao all failing to make an impact.
He would win one trophy during his two years in charge of the club, beating Crystal Palace 2-1 after extra time in the FA Cup final. He would then be sacked two days later.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 55%
Initially appointed as a caretaker manager following Jose Mourinho’s sacking, Solskjaer defied the odds and turned United’s form around drastically.
Impressive performances such as a 5-1 win away at Cardiff City saw the Norwegian earn more points (25) than any other manager has managed in his first nine games in charge of a single club in the Premier League.
Solskjaer’s impressive debut campaign meant he got the job on a full-time basis in March 2019 but it would be then that the form would dip.
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Two wins in their final 10 games carried over into the next season as they made their worst start to a league season in 33 years.
Form would turn around after the signing of Bruno Fernandes in January 2020 as United went unbeaten for the remainder of the season.
His final game in charge would be a 4-1 defeat away to Watford in November 2021 before he was sacked, just months after signing a three-year contract extension.
Erik ten Hag – 56%
Erik ten Hag’s time at Man United ended in nightmarish fashion, but his trophy record and win percentage are rather respectable.
The Dutchman was appointed before the start of the 2022/23 season and his first year in charge saw him defy the odds to secure a top-four finish and win the Carabao Cup. They also reached the FA Cup final only to lose to Manchester City.
It wasn’t all rosy however and Ten Hag had to deal with several off-field incidents, including the behaviour of Cristiano Ronaldo, who left shortly before the start of the World Cup.
Ten Hag was also beaten 7-0 by Liverpool – United’s joint-heaviest defeat of all time.
Season two was even worse as Man United suffered their worst-ever Premier League finish, ending up in eighth place, making the season a complete failure despite winning the FA Cup.
His time would come to an end on 28 October after defeat away to West Ham.
Jose Mourinho – 58%
Up until now, if reports are to be believed, Mourinho is the only Portuguese manager to sit in the Old Trafford dugout.
Like Moyes, he won a trophy in his first game in charge, beating Leicester City 2-1 in the Community Shield in 2016.
Mourinho did win the Carabao Cup, beating Southampton 3-2 to become the first United boss to win a major trophy in his first season in charge. They would also go on to win the Europa League that same year.
Season two was just as impressive as United finished second in the Premier League, something the five-time European champion revealed was his biggest achievement as a manager.
But it all went downhill from there and seven wins from 17 games, leaving United 19 points adrift of the league leaders, Mourinho was sacked on 18 December 2018.
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