Chris Armas is on the verge of joining Ralf Rangnick’s coaching staff at Manchester United, according to a report.
Armas, 49, is set to follow new interim manager Rangnick to Old Trafford.
According to ESPN’s Taylor Twellman, the American coach has been granted a work permit and will travel to England in the coming days to start work in Manchester.
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Chris Armas will be on Ralf Rangnick’s staff @ManUtd and will be announced in the next few days. He was given his work permit this morning. Their history goes all the way back to @NewYorkRedBulls.
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) December 6, 2021
The claim has been approved by The Athletic, too.
Armas and Rangnick formed a close working relationship when the former was the New York Red Bulls assistant coach and head coach.
This is a huge opportunity for Armas – and everyone connected with coaching football in America will be proud of him – since he has been out of work since Toronto FC sacked him earlier this year.
He wouldn’t be getting a role at United if he wasn’t highly thought of by Rangnick.
Jobs for the lads
Last week, Rangnick told reporters (via Manchester Evening News): “I will obviously try to find one, two, maybe three people who can join us in the one or two weeks but due to the Brexit regulations it’s not too easy.
“Many of my former colleagues, no matter if it is video analysts or assistant coaches are in long-term contracts with big clubs, so they are not available right now and we have to be a bit smart and clever and find the right people.
“I hope that we can get them in here in the next one or two weeks, but I cannot tell you any names.”
Rangnick was giving nothing away, but we’ve also had reports about New York Red Bulls coach Gerhard Stuber becoming assistant manager.
Time will tell but Rangnick won’t want this to drag on too long and he’s bound to pick coaches he has worked with previously. Those he can trust.