Man United are ‘five steps up’ from Sporting, claims Arsenal legend Paul Merson in warning to Ruben Amorim as Portuguese boss nears Old Trafford move

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has warned Ruben Amorim that a move to Manchester United will see him battling at a level way above what he is used to in the Portuguese top-flight. 

Amorim emerged as United’s No 1 priority hire to replace Erik ten Hag earlier this week, with the Dutchman leaving the club on Monday following a record poor start to the season. 

The club had looked to move quickly to snap up their target, but though Sporting announced on Wednesday that United were willing to pay their manager’s £8.3million release clause, a deal is not yet confirmed. 

Despite this, Amorim is still expected to be named Ten Hag’s successor, but it is he would not be in the dugout until after the international break, with his notice period believed to be a matter of weeks rather than days. 

With one of Europe’s most highly-regarded young managers seemingly set for Old Trafford, Merson was quick to praise his achievements thus far in what is still the early stages of Amorim’s career, but warned of the step up to come at United.  

The Arsenal legend claimed that United are ‘five steps up’ from Sporting and are one of the biggest clubs in the world

Erik ten Hag left Manchester United on Monday after a record poor start to the Premier League season

‘He’s done amazing at Sporting,’ Merson told Sky Sports. ‘This is going to be different. No disrespect. They play against Porto and Benfica and that’s it. He’s coming in to manage one of the biggest clubs in the world. 

‘We’ve seen it with Ten Hag: brilliant at Ajax, come to Man United, win one, draw one, lose one and you’re under pressure. There’s a lot of work to be done. This is five steps up.’

‘Will Amorim be different to the managers who have gone before? I don’t know if he will. He’s managed in Portugal, done everything right, his team did very well against Arsenal last year. But this is different. It’s hard to explain.

‘We’ve seen with all these managers, you’re under severe pressure every game. As a football team they’re nowhere near those heights. One of the biggest football clubs in the world with a just-above-average football team. I can’t emphasise enough how far they are behind the big boys at the moment.’

Amorim is likely to bring his own brand of football to the club, which is something that United fans are likely to be excited about. 

They have lacked a certain defined character and identity in recent seasons, which has not necessarily proven to be their down fall, with domestic cup titles in both of Ten Hag’s full campaigns, but may prove something to become enthusiastic over. 

His Sporting side have won two league titles in the last four seasons playing with a 3-4-3 system which proved difficult for Premier League rivals Arsenal to breakdown in the Europa League last term. 

As such, Merson has suggested that Amorim’s main priority should he take up the role would lie in underlining that identity.  

Manchester United have lacked a clear identity for a number of years, though they have still had some success

Amorim is known for favouring a 3-4-3 style that has worked wonders in Portugal over the last few years

‘Getting the players to understand the way they want to play,’ Merson replied to a question on the Portuguese coach’s first port of call. ‘I watch Man United play and there hasn’t been identity there for a long time now. He has to come in, get his ideas across and start playing as a team. 

‘They don’t press together. He has to get everybody understanding the way he wants to play. I don’t think anyone could sit there and tell me what Man United were trying to do. Chelsea against Newcastle, you know what they’re trying to do. That manager has been in there two or three months.

‘They’ve got to learn how to walk first. There are going to be some great times in the next two or three months where they play scintillating football and win games but it’s going to be up and down. I don’t know how long it is going to take but it won’t happen overnight on a consistent basis.’

The Sporting head coach himself has hinted heavily that his future may lie in the English top-flight. 

He was somewhat coy in midweek, announcing that his future would soon become clearer, before on Thursday night admitting that he might want to prove himself in the Premier League.  

Asked what he likes about the Premier League, Amorim added: ‘Everything. I think that in everyone’s life there are times when we’re doing really well, but then we want something more, maybe to prove something more.’ 

In the absence of Ten Hag, the Dutchman’s former assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy has taken interim charge of the side. 

His side’s 5-2 thrashing of Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday provided a throwback atmosphere at Old Trafford to remind the United faithful of the good old days. 

Van Nistelrooy meanwhile has revealed that he is keen to stay on as assistant to whoever should ultimately get the United job, pointing to the fact he still has a two-year contract.

Amorim offered a heavy hint that his future might lie in the Premier League when quizzed on what he likes most about the top-flight

In his first game as interim boss at United Ruud van Nistelrooy oversaw a 5-2 thrashing of Leicester in the Carabao Cup

‘It’s going to be short job as an interim – that was communicated very clearly, and I was happy with that,’ he said. 

‘I decided to come back here for a very important reason: that I am here as an assistant, I came here to help the club forward and I am still very motivated to do so in any capacity, as an assistant and now an interim. After this I go back to my assistant contract I have here for this season and next. I am very motivated to stay here and help the club forward.

‘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 the when the new manager is signing and conversations take place, we have to see how things develop.

‘I want to help, I want to do everything I can in my abilities. The club is in a difficult situation and it is not where we all want it to be. Everyone is looking at Manchester United, but it is us as people on the ground to do the utmost, supported by fans and it is a process.’