How Man United closed in on Ruben Amorim after two rounds of talks as former City chief Omar Berrada looks set to beat his former club to £8.5m Portuguese boss after sacking Erik ten Hag
Manchester United were in talks on Monday evening to appoint Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim as their new manager following the sacking of Erik ten Hag.
Mail Sport revealed last week that Amorim was one of four targets if Ten Hag was dropped, and United announced on Monday morning that the Dutchman’s two-and-a-half-year reign at Old Trafford was over.
His assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy has been given temporary charge but United quickly opened talks with Amorim and Sporting about activating the £8.5m release clause in his contract in Portugal.
The 39-year-old, who was interviewed about the vacancies at Liverpool and West Ham earlier this year, is said to be open to a move to Old Trafford.
It is understood Amorim was planning to leave Sporting at the end of the season but was informed of United’s interest earlier this month and has had two rounds of talks.
Man United were in talks with Ruben Amorim on Monday evening about him becoming manager
The Red Devils fired Erik ten Hag after he dropped to fourteenth place in the Premier League
CEO Omar Berrara, who previously worked for Manchester City, is leading the search for staff
Asked about ties with United after Ten Hag’s dismissal, he said on Monday: ‘I expected this question and I am obviously not going to talk about the future, otherwise I would always have to comment. I’m very proud to be a sports coach, that’s all.’
Amorim has also been linked with Manchester City if Pep Guardiola leaves next summer after it was confirmed that Hugo Viana, his director of football at Sporting, will replace Txiki Begiristain in the same role at the Etihad last season.
Omar Berrada, who left City this summer to become United’s new CEO, will have been aware of his old club’s interest in Amorim and is leading the search for Ten Hag’s replacement.
Berrada also held talks with Xavi Hernandez in Spain, but the former Barcelona coach is reluctant to take the job mid-season and also has a family problem that would make it difficult for him to move to England before the end of the season.
Brentford’s Thomas Frank was among the other names on United’s list, while Graham Potter was also discussed.
United made the decision to sack Ten Hag while the club were in 14th place in the Premier League after Sunday’s defeat to West Ham, and in the bottom half of the Europa League.
He was called to a meeting with Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth in Carrington on Monday morning and was informed of the decision.
The 54-year-old Dutchman, who is expected to receive up to £15 million in compensation, flew to the Netherlands on a private jet around lunchtime.
Amorim has won two league titles with Sporting and previously played for Liverpool and West Ham
It is understood the decision by United’s leadership team was collective and unanimous, although sources say it was ‘a difficult and balanced’ decision.
They claim that the United hierarchy wanted continuity after wholesale changes to the leadership team and backroom staff in the summer, and gave Ten Hag all possible support to succeed, but they did not see enough evidence of progress to convince them that the team should was the right way. right path.
The sources praised Ten Hag for behaving with dignity, but said there were ‘no excuses’ for the poor start to the season.
