Paul Scholes names Man United’s Ruben Amorim alternative who won the Champions League

Paul Scholes has suggested that Manchester United should have pivoted away from Ruben Amorim and towards someone else to replace Erik ten Hag.

Manchester United are pressing ahead with plans to appoint Ruben Amorim as their next Head Coach after deciding to part ways with Erik ten Hag.

The former Dutch manager’s tenure came to an end following United’s 2-1 defeat to West Ham in the Premier League last weekend, marked by a contentious penalty decision converted by Jarrad Bowen.

Read More: Gary Neville urges Ruud van Nistelrooy to make Man United tactical change that Erik ten Hag refused to do

Ten Hag’s departure was officially confirmed on Monday morning, sparking a wave of media speculation about his successor. By evening, reports emerged naming Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim as United’s preferred candidate, with terms already agreed.

In the meantime, as United prepare for upcoming fixtures against Leicester City and Chelsea, Ruud van Nistelrooy will step in to manage the squad on an interim basis.

Scholes’ Amorim alternative

However, former United midfielder Paul Scholes explained that he feels that United should have targeted Zinedine Zidane, who is currently out of a job, over Amorim.

“Amorim is an interesting one. But, again, that is a risky one,” Scholes told the official Premier League website. “We all know the style of play. [Amorim] plays really good football. We’ve been talking about him for City. That obviously tells you something about his pedigree.

“Most of these managers, they’ve been at clubs where the expectation probably is not as high. I look at Thomas Frank and I see that. He might be a very capable manager for Manchester United, but expectations are not [at Brentford] what they are at Manchester United.

“I was a big Thomas Tuchel fan, but obviously that’s gone,” Scholes added. “He’s managed elite clubs, he’s won big trophies with big clubs. I think [Ten Hag’s replacement] needs to have experience at an elite football club.

“This is one of the very biggest clubs in the world, so they should have the very best in class. Zidane is the one who has been at a major, major club and won major honours. But I am not sure how educated he is with the English language or whether he actually wants to come to England. You never get that feeling with him.”

Zidane, of course, is a famous name. Beyond his extensive playing days, as a manager, he has only taken charge of Real Madrid. The Frenchman won the Champions League three times in charge of Los Blancos, as well as two La Liga titles and five other trophies.

Amorim’s contract details

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Manchester United have offered Rúben Amorim a three-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2027.

While the report doesn’t specify, it’s likely the deal includes an option for United to extend it for an additional year—a common feature in many of their agreements.

The club is reportedly offering Amorim an annual salary in the range of £5.8-6.6 million, matching the amount they paid Erik ten Hag during his time at Old Trafford.

This new deal would nearly triple Amorim’s current salary, as he presently earns approximately £2.5 million per year with Sporting CP.

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