Manchester United’s move for Ruben Amorim is a matter of when, and not if, but that ‘when’ is set to get stretched a little further after recent developments.
It was widely expected that the win against CD Nacional would be Ruben Amorim’s last game as Sporting manager.
Amorim remained tight-lipped about the Man Utd move after the game and Viktor Gyokeres, the hero of the win, gave a similar comment, hinting that maybe the deal wasn’t as close as first thought.
There were reports that United want to have Amorim in place for Chelsea but that looks like a pipe dream now with recent developments.
Sporting’s hardball stance on Ruben Amorim
Sporting recently confirmed that United are paying Amorim’s release clause which made many believe that the move would happen soon.
However, it doesn’t seem to be as straightforward as that and Sporting are playing hardball over letting their main man leave.
It was recently reported that Amorim is pushing to leave Sporting but it is understandable from Sporting’s point of view that they would try to squeeze out the maximum for a man who has put them back on the map.
In addition, Amorim also intends to bring three staff members with him and that is where the club’s hardball stance is slowing down the completion of the deal.
Portuguese outlet Abola reports that Sporting are demanding an extra €5 million beyond the release clause to terminate the contracts of the staff members Amorim wants to bring to Old Trafford.
Those three are Carlos Fernandes, Amorim’s long-time assistant, Adelio Candido, and Jorge Vital.
In addition, there is a provision of a month-long notice period in Portugal even when the release clause is triggered so Sporting are demanding even more money to release Amorim to begin his new job immediately.
A combination of those factors is contributing to the delay in concluding the deal for Amorim and as it stands, Amorim’s first game as Man Utd manager is likely to be PAOK in the Europa League on November 7.
Sporting’s stance if justified
Of course, it isn’t ideal for Man United but considering the circumstances, Sporting’s stance on Amorim to Man Utd is completely justified.
This is a club sitting at the top of the league table after nine games, winning all nine, and into the final four of the domestic cup after their 3-1 win over Nacional.
Amorim has been widely credited as the man who has made it all happen since he took over the club at its lowest ebb and rebuilt it into the giant it is today.
Furthermore, Sporting paid similar money to Braga when they bought out his contract to bring him to Sporting so they are entitled to feel that they deserve a profit when he’s moving on.
Finally, United’s desperation is clear to see with the club needing a permanent appointment soon to save this season from becoming a complete write-off.
Sporting holds all the cards and rightly so since what they’re giving in return means everything to them.
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