Disagreements over tactical philosophy saw Liverpool pass on Ruben Amorim, who is now the frontrunner for the Manchester United job.
With Erik ten Hag’s dismal last season and equally underwhelming start to the current campaign, he was relieved of his duties at Old Trafford on Monday, and Ruud van Nistelrooy has been placed in interim charge until a permanent solution is found.
That next permanent manager appears likely to be Sporting CP boss Amorim, who, after guiding his side to the Portuguese league title last year, has yet to lose a league game this year, going nine for nine. Mirror Football understands United are pursuing a deal for their new No. 1 target.
This wouldn’t be the first time an English side has courted Portuguese coach Amorim this year, however, as, on the back of Jurgen Klopp’s departure, rivals Liverpool also took a liking to the 39-year-old. Yet potential warning signs loom for the Red Devils, as disagreements during talks between the two parties over financials and, more importantly, tactical philosophy saw Dutchman Arne Slot opted for instead.
Tactically, Amorim’s rather adaptable 3-4-3 formation, which can morph into a 4-2-4 when building up, a 5-2-3 when defending, and a 3-2-5 when attacking, is key to the manager’s ideals and mirrors some of the top wing-backed sides in Europe, such as Xabi Alonso’s – another head coach targeted by the Reds before Slot – Bayer Leverkusen.
Though some of the manager’s tactics can be changed depending on the opponent, as seen when he clashed with both Tottenham and Arsenal in Europe in 2022 and 2023 when he chose to swap a man-to-man press for zonal, the Merseyside outfit evidently saw Klopp's already inducted style as something that couldn’t be ignored.
Klopp’s far different 4-3-3 was essentially implemented from the top to the bottom at Anfield, and with Amorim simply refusing to change his high-possession, wide style of play, uprooting it didn’t seem like an option earlier in the summer.
Therefore, ESPN wrote Amorim was snubbed not only for his reluctance to change tactically but also due to the nearly £10million release clause Liverpool would have had to pay Sporting and the tension over premature reporting of the manager’s interest in April that The Athletic said left the Anfield outfit annoyed.
Slot, with his much more similar 4-2-4, was preferred, and this has paid dividends. The Reds are flying, having only dropped points twice in the league so far this season and maintaining a perfect record in the Champions League.
Now, Amorim has emerged as the No. 1 candidate to take up the reins at Old Trafford, and if he does seal a deal, he’ll bring with him a far different style of play to that installed by Ten Hag.
The departed Dutchman’s 4-2-3-1 often turned 4-4-2 diamond approach vastly differs from what Amorim would bring to the table, and if Liverpool’s managerial hunt is anything to go by, then perhaps there is a warning for United to heed in all of this.
Their rivals, albeit leaving an era that saw them claim a Premier League and Champions League – among other accolades – under Klopp, had a proven system and selected a manager for their willingness to adapt to said system.
Amorim’s philosophy is far different from anything United have seen in recent years, and with it may come teething issues – something the Reds have not had to suffer due to the select hiring of Slot.
The Red Devils are in dire need of getting this decision right, and only time will tell if Liverpool's snubbing of Amorim spoke volumes about how he and his stratagem may fare at Old Trafford.
