Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim left one of his former players shocked after a dramatic change of heart over his role at Sporting Lisbon. Brazilian winger Arthur Gomes revealed that Amorim personally assured him he would be a key part of the team for the 2023/24 season, only to retract that promise just two weeks later.
Gomes, now at Dynamo Moscow, recounted the incident on ESPN's Futebol no Mundo podcast. He said that after bringing him to Sporting in 2022, Amorim called him at the end of the 2022/23 season to say he was 'counting on him' for the upcoming campaign. However, upon returning from holiday, Gomes was informed by the club director that Amorim had changed his tactics and no longer saw a place for him in the squad.
Frustrated, Gomes phoned Amorim directly. 'I said that I wasn't going to try to change his mind,' Gomes explained. 'I thanked him for the time I spent with him and I was going to see what I could do [in terms of leaving].' A month later, he was sold to Brazilian side Cruzeiro.
Gomes described Amorim's initial approach as one filled with praise and confidence. 'He showered me with praise and gave me a lot of confidence,' he said. But the sudden tactical reversal felt like a betrayal, leaving Gomes with no choice but to move on. During his time at Sporting, Gomes scored a memorable Champions League goal against Tottenham, a highlight of his spell.
The incident sheds light on Amorim's managerial style, which has already seen high-profile clashes at Manchester United with players like Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho.
