'We no longer need him' : Sporting CP skipper on Ruben Amorim's exit

Morten Hjulmand, the captain of Sporting CP, has spoken out on manager Ruben Amorim's move to Manchester United, pointing out the "positive" aspects of it. Last week, Manchester United declared that they had signed Amorim from Sporting, but they made it clear that the Portuguese head coach would not start at Old Trafford until November 11. Since joining Sporting in 2020, Amorim has guided the team towards their first Primera Liga championship in 19 years, which they repeated last season.

As the team gets ready for life without Ruben Amorim, Sporting skipper Hjulmand has finally spoken out about his departure. As he lauded the manager's vision, the Danish playmaker also disclosed that he switched to Sporting in part because of the Portuguese coach.

Hjulmand said, "I see it as a positive challenge to try to be champions without Ruben, which is the main objective of this season. Life goes on and we want to show that we no longer need him. It was difficult for me to know that he is leaving. I was sad. That he was going to leave me too. But in football, opportunities like these happen to players and coaches. It's part of football and I hope Ruben is proud to receive an offer of this kind."

“"Ruben was one of the reasons why I came to Sporting” : Morten Hjulmand

Next up for the Sporting skipper is Tuesday, November 5, when Amorim's team plays Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League. The skipper spoke to the media during the pre-match press conference where he discussed the decision of Ruben Amorim.

The former Serie A player added: "Ruben was one of the reasons why I came to Sporting. When you are coached by him, you get a clear idea of the way he sees football and how he sees us being part of the team. It's a very important image for the player, to know what his role is, what he can contribute to the team. It was very important when I joined Sporting. The way he sees the players, how he manages the team on and off the field... It's something I've never seen in my career. Manchester United will be in good hands with Ruben."