Manchester United Targets Ruben Amorim as New Manager
Manchester United has expressed interest in appointing Ruben Amorim, the current manager of Sporting Lisbon, as their new head coach. The club is prepared to pay Amorim's release clause of €10 million (£8.3 million), according to a statement from Sporting.
Following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag on Monday, United is in search of a new manager. Sporting confirmed in a report to Portugal's financial regulator, CMVM, that Manchester United is ready to move forward with negotiations.
Amorim, 39, has earned a reputation as a talented coach, having led Sporting to two Portuguese league titles since taking the role in 2020, including their first championship in 19 years.
Manchester United has not commented on the situation. Ten Hag was removed from his position after a disappointing 2-1 loss to West Ham, leaving the team in 14th place in the Premier League with only three wins from their first nine matches. In the Europa League, United currently sits 21st out of 36 teams, having drawn all three of their opening fixtures.
In the interim, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who became Ten Hag's assistant last summer, has been appointed as the temporary manager and will oversee the upcoming Carabao Cup match against Leicester City.
Amorim has a contract with Sporting that runs until June 2026. He had previously held discussions with West Ham in April but apologized to Sporting for engaging in talks without their consent.
The prospect of Amorim becoming Manchester United's new manager raises several questions. Notably, he has never managed outside the Portuguese league, and the scale of United is significantly larger than Sporting. Additionally, there are concerns regarding Amorim's salary, the length of his contract, potential transfer budgets, and how his tactical preferences will align with the current squad composition.
As the situation develops, it remains likely that Amorim will lead Manchester United into their next Premier League fixture against Chelsea on Sunday, marking a swift transition for the club. Meanwhile, Amorim must prepare for what is expected to be his final match with Sporting against Nacional in the Portuguese League Cup.
