After Ruben Amorim was confirmed as Manchester United's new head coach, fans will be hoping he can replicate the success of the club’s previous acquisitions from Sporting.
As the 39-year-old is announced as the man who will replace Erik ten Hag, those the club have lured from Sporting before him have all gone on to achieve success at Old Trafford.
Man Utd have signed four players directly from the Primeira Liga club, but the links between the two don’t stop there.
Here, we assess those who have represented both clubs, both on the pitch and in the dugout.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Arguably among the club’s greatest signings, Ronaldo is the poster boy for United's successful transactions with Sporting.
Maturing from an inexperienced, young winger when he arrived in 2003 into a Ballon d'Or winner five years later, he won three league titles, the UEFA Champions League, one FA Cup and two EFL Cups at the club, scoring 103 goals in 236 Premier League games over two spells.
Legend has it that United’s players were so wowed when the 17-year-old terrorised them in a friendly game against Sporting that they urged Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him. Weeks later, a deal was done.
Nani
Even more decorated than his super-star countryman Ronaldo, Nani arrived at Old Trafford back in 2007.
The winger helped United win four Premier League titles, two League Cups and the UEFA Champions League prior to Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. Things, however, didn’t work out under David Moyes, with Nani spending the 2014/15 season back on loan at Sporting before joining Fenerbahce on a permanent deal in the summer of 2015.
He had appealed to the club to move for his former Portugal team-mate Amorim, and says he has seen for himself the new head coach's impressive level of desire.
Bruno Fernandes
A Premier League or UEFA Champions League winners’ medal may be missing from his CV, but Bruno Fernandes' January 2020 switch from Sporting has still been a big success.
The midfielder has scored 54 goals in 168 Premier League appearances and has FA Cup and EFL Cup successes to his name, and is now the club captain.
Carlos Queiroz
The Portuguese coach first served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant in 2002, helping the club win their eighth Premier League title in his first season.
The former Sporting coach left to manage Real Madrid, but his tenure in Spain was short-lived, and it wasn’t long before he was back at Old Trafford winning trophies.
The incredible partnership yielded two more league titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2008 before he accepted the honour of managing his country Portugal.
Marcos Rojo
Argentinian Marcos Rojo promised to deliver when he arrived from Sporting in 2014, and he was as good as his word.
Starting at left-back in the club’s FA Cup and EFL Cup triumphs at Wembley in 2016 and 2017 respectively, he also won the UEFA Europa League under Jose Mourinho.
Rojo returned to his homeland to play for Boca Juniors in 2021 after 76 Premier League appearances and one goal.
Peter Schmeichel
While United have never been shy about doing their shopping in Lisbon, the legendary Great Dane is the only player to move in the opposite direction on a permanent basis.
Schmeichel made 252 Premier League appearances for Man Utd, and is regarded as one of the club’s greatest goalkeepers.
He left for Sporting after signing off in incredible style following the famous 1999 treble season, but recently he revealed that he regretted leaving so soon.
Manuel Ugarte
Although not arriving directly from the Portuguese capital, Manuel Ugarte has clear connections with both clubs.
He played for Sporting for two years, making 56 appearances, before earning a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
A combative defensive midfielder, Ugarte has built a solid reputation for his ability to win back possession with well-timed tackles and clever positioning, and will be hoping to establish himself as a regular starter as his links up with Amorim for a second time.
