Ruben Amorim has given his verdict on the new 100,000 seater, £2billion stadium that Manchester United are planning to build and move into and explained how he feels he has the support of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and other higher-ups at the club.
United’s new home, the club revealed on Tuesday, will be built next to the existing Old Trafford and will apparently be visible from almost 40 kilometres away in the Peak District – a project led by Ratcliffe.
The club insists it could boost the UK economy by £7.3bn-a-year, create 92,000 jobs, 17,000 homes and attract an additional 1.8million visitors annually.
This new Old Trafford will sit beneath a vast ‘umbrella’ – complete with a public plaza twice the size of Trafalgar Square and their own version of Wembley Way in a breathtaking ‘city of the future’.
A new stadium had been a key part of Ratcliffe’s bid to become co-owner of the Red Devils and, without divulging details on funding, when work will start, or where United will play while it is under development, he purred over the project.
It is unclear if Amorim will still be head coach of the club when the project is complete, but, in an interview with Sky Sports, gave his verdict on the proposals.
Ruben Amorim has explained his relationship with Manchester United officials and given his verdict on their new £2bn stadium plans
United are seeking to build a brand new 100,000-seater ground that will be ready in the next few years
Amorim insisted that officials at the club, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe, want him to remain in charge for ‘many years’
‘You imagine the future, you see the stadium, but it is more than that, it is the future of the club,’ he said. ‘It is an amazing stadium, more space for more people because we are a massive club but it is in five years I think, maybe six or seven, so we need to focus on the present and that is to improve the team and win games.
‘I truly believe that everyone in the club wants me to stay here for many years, and I want to be here for many years, but we need to win games. In this kind of club, the kind of exposure we have with the past we have is important – it is one thing to have a bad season, it is another thing to have been suffering for a whole.
‘We need to improve things at a hurried pace – we have a plan, that is a good thing. I know how I want to play and I have the support from the board.’
United will take on Real Sociedad in the last-16 of the Europa League on Thursday night, with the tie level at 1-1 following the first leg last week.
They need to win the competition to qualify for next year’s Champions League, given their poor league season which leaves them 14th in the Premier League table.
One man they will be looking to help them is Rasmus Hojlund, the £72m striker who has now not scored in the last 20 matches he has played.Amorim also spoke on the forward, backing him to eventually come good.
‘We are trying to show the good things that people don’t see. for example the goal we scored in Spain, you have play with (Diogo) Dalot and (Alejandro) Garnacho and Josh (Zirkzee) has the space because Rasmus did the run.
Josh is shooting the ball, Rasmus is blocking a defender which can reach the ball. We showed it to the team in preparation for the game, so I’m trying to show that everyone here is really important.
Amorim will lead United into a crucial last-16 second leg clash with Real Sociedad tonight
He also gave his verdict on the lack of goals from £72million forward Rasmus Hojlund
‘People cannot see, but I see it. Rasmus is doing a lot of things well but he is in the moment where as a striker you need to score, and sometimes when he has the opportunity with the ball he has struggled because the confidence is not there.
‘But the work he does in the games, he is helping us to reach this stage of this competition.’
