Manchester United news LIVE: Ruben Amorim to be announced as new manager with complex timeline revealed

It seems somewhat foolish to suggest there is more to come from the player who has created more chances than anyone else in the Premier League since he arrived on our shores.

But since the start of the season, Bruno Fernandes has looked every inch a weary captain, having carried his underperforming troops from all too many battlefields.

Two years of Erik ten Hag’s limited tactical acumen and inability to instil any form of stylistic identity had taken its toll on the only signing from the post-Ferguson era who can look himself in the mirror and say he justifies his price tag.

“He’s done amazing at Sporting, I was over in Portugal last year and got in a cab, a massive Sporting fan, who was going mad about how he’d turned them around,” Paul Merson tells Sky Sports.

“This will be different, they play against Porto and Benfica, that’s it. One of the biggest clubs in the world. This is where it’ll start.

“You win one, draw one, lose one, you’re under pressure. He comes with massive regard, he’s done brilliantly so far, but this is five steps up.”

Ruben Amorim said the “soap opera” about his future is ending as he suggested his move to Manchester United will be announced on Friday evening.

United will activate the 39-year-old’s £8.3m release clause with Sporting Lisbon but they are negotiating with the Portuguese champions to ensure Amorim does not have to serve a 30-day notice period, while they also want to agree terms to bring his backroom staff to Old Trafford.

Keep the ball

Man United’s best performances under Ten Hag tended to be without an emphasis on retaining the ball – think of the rapid counter-attack to undo Manchester City in the FA Cup final. That is unlikely to be Amorim’s approach.

The numbers reveal Sporting’s style. His team dominated possession during his time in charge, averaging around 60 per cent in league games. They were careful with the ball, completing the league’s highest percentage of attempted passes (84.1 per cent, via fbref) last season and attempting the fewest long passes of any side. Their average passing distance of 16.8 yards was the second shortest in the league.

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Amorim’s favoured 3-4-2-1

Amorim first tried a back three early in his coaching career and he quickly settled upon a preferred 3-4-2-1 shape. At Sporting the system could flex into a 3-4-3 with two wide forwards rather than typical No 10s, and occasionally he played with a 3-5-2, but Amorim rarely deviated from his three-at-the-back foundation.

When Sporting built from deep, two adventurous wing-backs hugged the touchlines to stretch the pitch, leaving space for confident centre-backs to either carry the ball upfield or play passes into midfield. At United, Lisandro Martinez could slot into the left side of a three-man defence while Matthijs de Ligt would likely be the central pin.

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Trust in youth

Amorim inherited a squad which had been ravaged by the sales of key players, with Bruno Fernandes’s move to Manchester United being the most high profile. That money was barely reinvested in the transfer market, meaning Amorim had little choice but to build a team around emerging homegrown talents such as Eduardo Quaresma, Matheus Nunes and Nuno Mendes.

He did so brilliantly, and the young stars of his first title-winning campaign have gone on to play for some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Matheus Nunes moved to Manchester City for £40m; Nuno Mendes went to PSG for £35m; Manuel Ugarte joined PSG for £50m, before moving to Old Trafford where he will be reunited with his former manager; Pedro Porro was bought by Tottenham for £30m.

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Ruud van Nistelrooy said he had consulted with Sir Alex Ferguson before his first game in charge of Manchester United and revealed Erik ten Hag left Old Trafford hurt to be sacked but proud of his achievements.

The Dutchman won his first match as interim manager, 5-2 against Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and expects to remain the caretaker for Sunday’s match against Chelsea, even as United close in on Ruben Amorim.

Van Nistelrooy has not yet been in contact with the Sporting Lisbon manager but underlined that it is his “absolute goal” to stay at United.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was asked whether he would discuss the next few matches with Ruben Amorim or whether he would select the teams himself.

He replied:“Is he [Amorim] already announced? So we don’t know. Again, what the future will bring, we will see.”

Ruud van Nistelrooy on if he expects to stay as assistant: “We will see but it is the contract situation I am in and my desire to help the club forward.

“I can speak to you about my side of the story and after, when the new manager is signing and conversations take place, we have to see how things develop.”

Rubem Amorim’s Manchester United could look immediately very different to Erik ten Hag’s.

Since last season, Sporting have the fourth-highest defensive line from the major leagues in Europe with 45.20m, with Man City top with 46.70m.

Arsenal sit sixth on 44.70m away from goal and Liverpool are 10th on 44.20m.

The Red Devils, under Ten Hag in that time, sit 41.70m away from goal.