As Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim took charge of his first training session at Carrington this week, the spotlight also fell on the assistants who will work under the 39-year-old.
Five compatriots have again followed the Portuguese into a new club, as they did at Sporting where their expertise helped him to win two Primeira Liga titles. Now, they are tasked with implementing his vision at United.
The newcomers join existing first-team coaches Darren Fletcher and Andreas Georgson, and assistant first-team goalkeeper coach Craig Mawson, who have all remained in their roles.
The first match of the new staff's tenure will be played this Sunday, 24 November, when United travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town.
Man Utd's next five PL matches
Read on to find out more about the five men Amorim has brought with him to Manchester from Portugal.
Carlos Fernandes – Assistant head coach
Fernandes will serve as Amorim’s right-hand man, a role he has perfected throughout their shared stints at previous clubs Casa Pia, Braga and Sporting.
The pair first built a strong bond when Amorim was still a player at Benfica — where Fernandes was a budding coach — and the two have grown together in their managerial journey.
Fernandes has earned high praise from Amorim, who has likened him to Portuguese coaching legend Jose Mourinho.
Known for his modern approach to training and deep tactical understanding, he is expected to play a pivotal role in United's on-pitch preparations.
He was born in the same year, 1994, as his namesake and United captain Bruno Fernandes.
Adelio Candido – First-team coach
At just 28, Adelio Candido adds another youthful, yet experienced, perspective to United’s coaching setup, subject to his visa approval.
Like Fernandes, Candido has been a constant presence in Amorim's journey with Casa Pia, Braga and Sporting.
Initially a youth-team coach, Candido has grown under Amorim's mentorship, developing a reputation for his detailed and innovative training methods.
Though he is younger than several players in the United squad, including Casemiro, Jonny Evans and Luke Shaw, Candido has earned respect for his attention to detail and innovative coaching methods.
Emanuel Ferro – First-team coach
Ferro began coaching at the age of 22, before leading Benfica’s youth team while Amorim was a player there.
The two were reunited at Sporting, where Ferro became a trusted advisor and a key member of the coaching staff.
The 45-year-old's responsibilities have included leading sessions and occasionally representing Amorim during press engagements, emphasising the trust between them.
Jorge Vital – Goalkeeping coach
Jorge Vital pictured fourth from the right, next to Amorim
Vital, 65, a former professional goalkeeper of 20 years, has joined United as the first-team goalkeeper coach.
He has been a trusted colleague of Amorim since their time at Braga, where they first worked together before reuniting at Sporting in 2020.
Known for his expertise in goalkeeper distribution and development, Vital will be assisted at United by one of the club's existing goalkeeping coaches, Mawson.
Paulo Barreira – Physical performance coach
Barreira pictured with David Luiz and Cedric Soares during his time at Arsenal
In the sports science department, Amorim once again turns to Paulo Barreira, 42, a recognised expert in injury prevention and conditioning.
Formerly a first-team physio at Arsenal and Liverpool, he also had a stint in the Middle East before joining Amorim at Sporting in 2020.
Barreira, who holds a PhD in hamstring injury prevention, is known for using cutting-edge technology like GPS tracking and wellness monitoring to help optimise player performance.
