- Ruben Amorim is set to become the new manager of Manchester United
- Sporting Lisbon confirmed United’s interest in paying his £8.3 million release clause
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Sporting Lisbon have announced that they have been approached by Manchester United for the services of Ruben Amorim – and that the Premier League club are keen to pay his £8.31m release clause.
The Portuguese giants released a statement this afternoon confirming United’s intention to replace Erik ten Hag with their highly regarded head coach.
It added that Sporting directors informed the Old Trafford club of the terms of the 39-year-old’s contract ‘in particular the €10,000,000 termination clause’ and added that United ‘expressed interest’ in paying that valuation.
Mail Sport understands negotiations are still ongoing. It is thought that one issue that needs to be resolved is the start date of Amorim. United are keen to install him in time for Sunday’s visit to Chelsea, but there are still a number of obstacles to overcome first.
Ten Hag guided United to their worst ever start to a Premier League season, and with three draws in winning positions in the Europa League from three games, results showed no sign of improving.
Sporting Lisbon have revealed that Ruben Amorim is set to join Manchester United after expressing an interest in paying his £8.3million exit clause.
Amorim has received much praise in recent years for his exceptional work in the Portuguese capital. He ended Sporting Club’s 19-year wait for a league title in 2020-21 before winning the top flight again last year.
Sporting Lisbon will host Nacional in the Portuguese League Cup later tonight, with many speculating whether Amorim will be involved following the statement released by the club this afternoon.
Amorim was previously asked about ties with United following Ten Hag’s dismissal and said: ‘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.’
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.
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.
But it appears Old Trafford will be his likely destination, with the Red Devils keen to turn their form around as the club sit 14th in the Premier League after Sunday’s defeat to West Ham, and in the bottom half of the Europa League.
Therefore, tonight’s match could be Amorim’s last match in charge of Sporting Lisbon, against the Portuguese newspaper File report that the 39-year-old could travel to England on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, it is clear that the decision to fire Ten Hag was collective and unanimous, even if sources say it was ‘difficult and balanced’.
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.
More to follow…