Ruben Amorim personally called Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo shortly before his dismissal from Manchester United, with the player now reportedly close to joining Manchester City instead
Ruben Amorim was planning for potential incomings at Manchester United before he was sacked(Image: Getty Images)
Prior to his Manchester United exit, Ruben Amorim had a conversation with Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo. Amorim, 40, was relieved of his duties at Old Trafford approximately 14 months after taking the helm.
His sacking came about 24 hours after a remarkable press conference in which he criticised both the United hierarchy and former club captain turned pundit, Gary Neville. Even as his departure loomed, Amorim was still attempting to secure new signings.
One target was Semenyo, who now appears poised to join Manchester City. However, prior to the Ghanaian’s decision to team up with Pep Guardiola’s squad, Amorim had been outlining his vision for life at Old Trafford.
As reported by The Times, the former Sporting Lisbon manager was keen on bringing Semenyo to the club, even going so far as to personally speak with the prolific striker over the phone.
It’s understood that the Cherries star was intrigued by the prospect of a move to Old Trafford. However, there were alleged concerns about how Amorim intended to utilise Semenyo within his tactical setup, reports the Mirror.
According to the report, the former Bristol City forward was worried he might be deployed as a wing-back for United. It was at this point that Amorim is said to have reassured him of his flexibility as a manager, indicating that he wouldn’t necessarily stick to a 3-4-2-1 formation in the future.
This contradicts Amorim’s earlier statements in press conferences, where he passionately stood by his tactical approach and commitment to the system. In what proved to be his final match in charge, the 1-1 stalemate against Leeds United, Amorim persisted with the formation despite having enjoyed some success when adapting to a back four.
Antoine Semenyo is expected to join Manchester City in the January transfer window(Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Full-back Patrick Dorgu was even positioned in the attacking trio alongside Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. Following the fixture, Amorim abruptly left a press conference after launching a scathing attack on the United hierarchy whilst also emphasising he was the manager of the club, despite being officially designated as head coach.
When questioned about whether he retained the backing of the United board, Amorim responded furiously: “I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months, and then everyone is going to move on.
“That was the deal. That is my job, not to be a coach. If people cannot handle the Gary Neville’s and the criticises of everything, we need to change the club.
“No, no guys, I would say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach. Every department, the scouting department, the sport director needs to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on. Thank you, guys.”
Manchester United sacked Ruben Amorim after the draw to Leeds(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
In other news, the Athletic has reported that Semenyo is on the brink of a move to City after turning down United. This development is believed to have played a part in Amorim’s departure, following indications that no new signings would be made in January.
Semenyo, who could become a City player within days, is set to play his last match for the south coast club in their forthcoming fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
Bournemouth reportedly stipulated as part of his departure terms that they retain him until after their matches with Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, with the latter being his final game.
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