Manchester United are moving for Sporting boss Ruben Amorim following the sacking of Erik ten Hag on Monday morning.
Erik ten Hag has met his end as Manchester United boss.
Ineos sacked Ten Hag on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after the 2-1 defeat at West Ham United.
United may have lost in controversial circumstances but Ten Hag was still given his marching orders.
Ten Hag was backed over the summer but United have now decided to make a change and go in a different direction.
A host of names have been linked with the United job but Ineos appear to have found their top target.
- READ MORE: Bruno Fernandes breaks silence first as Erik ten Hag is sacked as Manchester United manager
Jose Mourinho on Ruben Amorim
Reports suggest that Sporting boss Ruben Amorim is the man United want to appoint.
Amorim has verbally agreed to join United according to reports but there is still the matter of compensation to be resolved.
Portuguese media reports have been conflicting on whether United have to pay £8.3million or £16.6million for Amorim.
United still appear to be focused on Amorim though and that would make him the second Portuguese manager of the club.
The first was Jose Mourinho and he has already delivered his verdict on Amorim as a man and as a coach.
Speaking to Mais Futebol in Portugal back in May 2024, Mourinho admitted that he is a fan of Amorim.
Mourinho likes Amorim’s coaching but also values him away from the pitch, backing him to make an impact at any club in the world.
Mourinho felt that Amorim is with a ‘big club’ already in Sporting but backed him for success no matter what.
“It’s also a question I shouldn’t answer, what can I tell him? I like him as a person, I like him as a coach,” said Mourinho.
“I think he has the conditions to be able to coach in any league and he has the conditions to be able to coach in any club. But he’s in a good league and he’s in a big club.
“The decision is his and it will be up to the clubs that want him or not, to convince him with more or less arguments. What is clear from my side is that I like the person and I like the coach,” he added.
Mourinho welcomed Amorim to Manchester United
Amorim is still only 39 but has already achieved so much.
Sporting have won two league titles under Amorim and he seemingly had coaching on his mind for a while.
As noted by TNT Sports, Amorim completed a ‘performance internship’ under Mourinho, joining him at United back in 2018.
Two years later, Amorim earned a big move from Braga to Sporting and simply hasn’t looked back since.
Mourinho’s own time at United may have fizzled out but Amorim could follow in his footsteps with a move to Old Trafford – and with Mourinho’s backing along the way.
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