The former Portugal midfielder was United’s favoured candidate after Ten Hag was sacked with the club 14th in the Premier League. Sporting announced on Tuesday that United had approached them and expressed a willingness to pay the €10m (£8.3m) release clause but the move was held up by negotiations regarding his 30-day notice period. A compromise, which involved United paying an extra €1m, was agreed for Amorim to continue at Sporting until after their game at Braga on 10 November.

Amorim is United’s sixth permanent appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013 and none of the previous five remained in position for three full seasons. Amorim’s contract runs for two full seasons after this one and the club have an option to extend it by a year.

“Rúben is one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football,” United said. “Highly decorated as both a player and coach, his titles include winning the Primeira Liga twice in Portugal with Sporting CP, the first of which was the club’s first title in 19 years. Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue to take charge of the team until Rúben joins.”

It is understood United were aware of the notice period before they opened talks and are pleased to have curtailed the extra time Amorim has to spend with Sporting. He is expected to bring five backroom staff with him from Sporting: the coaches Emanuel Ferro, Adélio Cândido and Carlos Fernandes, goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital and sports scientist Paulo Barreira.

Amorim, who also won two league cups in four full seasons at Sporting, had been on Manchester City’s radar as they plan for Pep Guardiola’s possible departure and a home Champions League game against City on Tuesday is among his final three Sporting matches.

He is the youngest person to take charge of United’s men since a 31-year-old Wilf McGuinness was appointed in 1969 to replace Matt Busby, who had started his role as manager aged 36. Amorim, who held talks with West Ham this year, oversaw his first match as a first-team coach, with Braga, shortly before his 35th birthday. Thirteen games later he took the Sporting job.

Amorim is regarded by United as the ideal candidate because of his playing style, personality and capacity to develop young players. His appointment was welcomed by the club’s Portuguese defender Diogo Dalot.

“He is a fantastic coach and knows what he wants,” Dalot told Sky Sports. “Very demanding is what I can expect. It’s a perfect match for a club like this. The Premier League suits people from Portugal. We have a culture of constantly trying to improve ourselves as we come from a small country. I really hope that it is one more case. I am really excited to start working with him.”

Another Portuguese player, Nani, whose former clubs include Sporting and United, has also spoken positively of Amorim, according to Rio Ferdinand. “I spoke to Nani the other day and he said whatever you want to talk about, tactics or whatever, the players play for him, they love him and they respect him,” Ferdinand, a former United defender, said in a video post on X.

“What Nani said about Amorim is that he’s very straight and very direct. From what I’m hearing, I’m talking to people who played for [him] and also been around [him] as a human, I think the character and the charisma compared to Ten Hag will be the big difference.”

Van Nistelrooy will continue for three more home games – against Chelsea on Sunday, Paok on Thursday and Leicester on 10 November – before Amorim takes charge at Ipswich on 24 November.

The Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna coached at United from 2016 to December 2021, including with the first team under José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Ralf Rangnick. “It’s certainly going to add more external intrigue to that game,” McKenna said. “For us, it was a massive game anyway. Man United coming to Portman Road was always going to be a huge game and one to look forward to.

“Of course, it’s a club I have an affinity with and I always want to see them do well. Hopefully not in the game that is coming up but, other than that, I wish them all the best and I’m sure he’ll be a good addition to the league.”