Paul Scholes suggests hiring Ruben Amorim is ‘like Erik ten Hag’ and says Man United ought to HOLD OFF and let him serve his discover interval – as he names the supervisor they need to have gone for as an alternative

Paul Scholes believes that the hype surrounding Ruben Amorim‘s imminent appointment at Manchester United is reminiscent of when Erik ten Hag arrived at the club. 

The Red Devils are inching closer to appointing the 39-year-old Sporting CP manager as their new head coach after sacking Ten Hag on Monday. 

News of the Portuguese’s arrival in Manchester has been warmly received by the club’s fanbase, with the highly-rated coach boasting an impressive resume and attracting the attention of fellow Premier League clubs earlier this year. 

However, Scholes reckons that the clamour isn’t too dissimilar to that which surrounded Ten Hag, who joined the club following a successful spell at Ajax, which included three Eredivisie titles and a run to the Champions League semi-final in 2019. 

‘I agree on Ruben Amorim – it [the hype] feels a bit like Erik ten Hag [when he joined Manchester United],’ said the Red Devils legend, who was speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet. 

‘I know he’s meant to sign in the coming days and hours, but Sporting play Manchester City next week, and Arsenal in the next three or four weeks – it might be a chance to give him a public interview, and see how he handles the media, see how his team plays.

‘In England, we don’t watch a lot of Portuguese football, so we don’t know too much. We see them a bit in European football, and all the things we hear about him are good – exciting football, three at the back and possession based – something United don’t really do. If he comes in to do that, it could be exciting.’

On Tuesday, Sporting confirmed in a statement to the market that they had been approached by the Premier League giants for their boss. The note added that that United had ‘expressed an interest’ in paying the 39-year-old’s release clause.

However, while United are happy to meet that clause, they are currently negotiating when Amorim can start what will be a huge job at Old Trafford. There is a prospect that Amorim, who won back-to-back titles in Portugal, could not take charge until United head to Ipswich Town on November 24th.

Amorim was of interest to both Liverpool and West Ham in the summer when both top-flight sides were assessing managerial options. 

United, meanwhile, opted to keep faith with Ten Hag after his FA Cup win, despite holding talks with several alternatives including former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who has since been appointed as England manager. 

Scholes maintains that Tuchel would have been his preferred choice for the United job due to his experience managing and winning at the elite level. 

‘I think Thomas Tuchel was the right one to coach Manchester United, but obviously he’s gone now with England. He’s someone that can manage an elite football club and win big games. He’s been there and done it.’

Reports of Amorim’s Sporting departure has divided the fanbase of the Portuguese club, who claimed a 3-1 win over Nacional in the League Cup on Tuesday night. 

Post-match, he revealed that he will take charge of training with Sporting on Wednesday and insisted that a move to succeed Ten Hag is not finalised. 

‘Manchester United is interested, but it’s my choice,’ he said. ‘Until everything is decided, we won’t be making any noise. I have nothing useful to say. I will take on whatever I want to do, as I have always done.

‘I don’t want to fuel this issue. There is the club’s statement to the CMVM, apart from that we don’t know the details yet, we’ll see.’

Paul Scholes was speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.