The Portuguese coach is set to start work with the Red Devils this week after his departure from Sporting Lisbon and is under no illusions about the scale of the task that faces him at Old Trafford.

Amorim told reporters after Sporting beat Braga in his final match in charge at the weekend: "I feel ready for the new challenge.

"I'm not naive, I know it's going to be very different, very difficult. I'm at peace now, I can focus on my new job and I'm looking forward to starting tomorrow."

Amorim has been very successful at Sporting but knew that he couldn't turn down the chance to manage a club of United's status.

He said: "I know it will be difficult to reproduce what I have here elsewhere, but there are other places with different exposure and pressure ... It's been a fantastic adventure.

"I apologise for this mid-season decision, but I felt it was my time and my way."

Amorim previously admitted that he had mixed emotions about leaving Sporting to take the United job.

He told TNT Sports of his move: "Very tough. The worst and best week of my life. I don’t have another way to explain [it]. Very tough because I’m leaving a very good place, but I’m going to one of the best clubs in the world. So it’s been very tough, but it is what it is.

"I’m emotional but not in this part. I know because I was a player and I know in our life we have to leave, to go, change our environment quite often."