Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has asked his former trusted assistant, acacio Valentim, to be added to the staff as part of the restructuring. The Portuguese captain was determined to avoid another disastrous campaign after a difficult first season at Old Trafford.
After replacing Erik ten Hag, Amorim led Man United to a 14th place in the Premier League last season. They also lost to Tottenham in the UEFA Europa League final. And before his second season at the club, Amorim had asked for some help behind the scenes.
According to the Portuguese Record, Amorim personally asked the Man United board to make a move to recruit Valentim. Amorim is eager to reunite with his former assistant at Braga.
Talks are reportedly ongoing over Valentim's move to England after he left the Portuguese club this summer. His arrival will be the latest change behind the scenes since Amorim arrived at Old Trafford.
Former Erik ten Hag's assistants, including Ruud van Nistelrooy, have all left. Rene Hake, Jelle ten Rouwelaar and Pieter Morel are also no longer at Old Trafford after Amorim arrived.
fixtures manager Andreas Georgson was initially retained. However, Amorim confirmed that assistant Carlos Fernandes was in charge of planning for set pieces.
Explaining the change after last season's Arsenal game, Amorim said: "People think Carlos is responsible for set pieces. Andreas was there to help. That's all. That is the reason.
I think if you have followed the Premier League for a long time, you can see that Arsenal are also a good team in that aspect. And you can see that through Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, they cross the touchline and cross the ball many times. They know that if the cross goes in the right direction, they can score. If it was a corner kick, they could have scored.
Georgson finally left his position in May this year, while a number of other key figures have also left Old Trafford in recent weeks.
In Portugal, Valentim is highly appreciated for its extensive experience and meticulous working style. He worked at Shanghai SIPG before returning to Braga and has accompanied Amorim on many projects.
The Red Devils' internal source said the negotiations are going smoothly and they are confident that all terms will be finalized soon. If everything goes well, Valentim will be the next piece in the new personnel picture that Amorim is quietly shaping.
At this time, Amorim really needs a team of collaborators who understand him, especially those who are capable of supporting coaching, managing players and ensuring discipline. This is a factor that Man United has been assessed to be lacking for many years.
Therefore, the presence of Valentim is expected to help Amorim thoroughly apply the philosophy he had success with Sporting, while bringing a new breeze to the dressing room.
The 2025-2026 season is expected to be very difficult for Amorim as he has to prove his ability to reborn a sluggish and unstable Man United.
