Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim singled out two Premier League legends as players he would love to have played alongside in his playing career.
Ruben Amorim was a midfielder during his time as a footballer and the 39-year-old Portuguese manager spent the large majority of his career in his native homeland.
The Manchester United head coach started his senior playing career with Portuguese outfit Belenenses before signing for Primeira Liga side Benfica in 2008.
Amorim made 153 appearances for Benfica and he found silverware success with the club, including lifting three Primeira Liga titles and a Taca de Portugal cup.
The former Benfica and Belenenses player spent time on loan at Braga — a club he would later coach — and at Qatari side Al-Wakrah during his spell at Benfica.
Amorim talks up two Man Utd legends
Ruben Amorim’s playing career came to an end in 2017 and the Manchester United boss wasted no time entering the world of coaching and management.
His first spell in management came with Portuguese side Casa Pia before he took up roles at Braga and Sporting CP in his native homeland.
Amorim made a name for himself at Sporting CP and enjoyed incredible success at the club, including capturing two Primeira Liga titles as head coach.
The former Sporting CP boss left the Estadio Jose Alvalade last November and replaced Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford dugout as United manager.
Speaking to the Premier League’s official media channels, Amorim was asked which Premier League legend he would want to play alongside if he had the chance.
Amorim hilariously admitted that it would have been “fun” to play with Eric Cantona, but the United manager also picked out Roy Keane as his midfield partner.
“Cantona should be fun,” he said, as per the Premier League on TikTok.
Amorim continued: “But I was a midfielder. I would love to have played with Roy Keane.
“He does all the job and I can focus on playing with the ball. But I think it would be fun.”
Amorim full of praise for Keane
Roy Keane succeeded Eric Cantona as United captain after the Frenchman’s sudden retirement in 1997 and the Irishman had a seminal impact at Old Trafford.
The 53-year-old United legend was a linchpin midfield influence for Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary teams of the past and excelled as a box-to-box midfielder.
Keane was deeply admired for his leadership skills on and off the pitch and the Irish hardman is widely regarded as one of the best captains of all time.
Amorim previously waxed lyrical about the former United midfielder’s ability as a player during a sitdown chat with Keane’s ex-teammate Gary Neville.
Speaking to Gary Neville on Sky Sports last November, Amorim said: “Roy Keane? Yeah, he was a player that I really liked.
“I know he is a little bit crazy, but he was a massive player and I like players with character.”
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