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In a recent press conference following Sporting Lisbon’s 5-1 win over Estrela, Ruben Amorim dropped a bombshell confession ahead of his move to Manchester United.
The Portuguese manager laid out his reasoning for joining The Red Devils. Amorim was keen to get the point across that it wasn’t for a financial incentive, confirming that two other clubs had offered to pay his release clause.
The 39-year-old commented: “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.”
He continued: “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. It’s just like Sporting.”
As if to further elaborate his point following his rationale for choosing United, Amorim finished by saying: “But now I go home more happier because I have explained. 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.”
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Now, it’s been revealed by a Portuguese news outlet who those clubs were that Amorim was alluding to.
Portuguese news reveals the two clubs interested in Ruben Amorim
After an extensive investigation, Portuguese publication A Bola has now revealed who these clubs were, with many reports claiming that Amorim rejected Liverpool and Manchester City.
Well, the report from Portugal confirms that neither of these clubs were the teams being referenced by Amorim.
The two sides happy to pay the release clause were West Ham United and Al Nassr.
Towards the end of last season, West Ham came knocking as they considered parting ways with David Moyes. Whilst Amorim engaged in discussions with The Hammers, he later called his actions a mistake and branded them as “disrespectful” to Sporting.
The other side, Al Nassr, has a strong Portuguese-speaking proportion at the club in player and coaching roles over recent years, most notably with Amorim’s former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at the club and their former manager Luis Castro.
Well in September, Al Nassr parted ways with Castro and was looking to Amorim as his replacement, however, the Sporting boss had no interest in moving to Saudi Arabia.
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