Sporting Lisbon confirmed Manchester United’s interest in their Portuguese coach, Ruben Amorim,On Tuesday, following the departure of Erik Ten Hag .
United terminated Ten Hag’s two-year tenure on Monday, citing a dismal start to the season that saw the club languishing in 14th place after a 2-1 loss to West Ham.
Amorim, 39, has quickly emerged as the top candidate to replace Ten Hag.
Sporting’s official statement to the Lisbon stock exchange disclosed that United is prepared to meet Amorim’s €10 million (£8.3 million, $10.8 million) release clause.
“Manchester United have expressed their interest in recruiting coach Ruben Amorim and have said they are ready to pay the 10 million euro release clause,” the statement read.
Despite significant summer spending, United has struggled, winning only one of their last eight matches across all competitions.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, a former United striker, has been named interim manager, but the club’s focus appears firmly set on Amorim, widely regarded as one of Europe’s promising young coaches. Amorim has secured two Portuguese league titles since joining Sporting in March 2020.
When asked about the rumors on Monday, Amorim brushed off speculation ahead of Sporting’s League Cup clash with Nacional.
“I’m not going to talk about my future,” he said.
“I’m very proud to be the coach of Sporting Lisbon,” he clearly stated.
Other young managers have taken note, with Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler, already managing in the Premier League, expressing admiration.
“He’s 39 and already achieved great things in Portugal,” Hurzeler said.
“I’m not in a position to give him advice; if he needs advice, he can probably ask Pep [Guardiola] or Jurgen Klopp,” he continued.
Amorim was previously linked to the Liverpool managerial role following Klopp’s exit earlier this year, though Dutch coach Arne Slot ultimately took the position.
Ten Hag, 54 years of age, faced increasing scrutiny last season, even as he won the FA Cup against Manchester City.
Despite a transfer spend of over £600 million ($778 million), including heavy investment in former Ajax players, his tenure saw United struggle for consistency.
Key injuries, underwhelming performances from high-profile signings like Brazilian forward Antony, and an unclear playing style plagued his second season.
United failed to progress in the Champions League and experienced defeats at Old Trafford.
Speaking prior to his dismissal, Ten Hag had emphasized his goal of winning a trophy in his third season as a measure of success.
“Definitely, it’s about trophies,” he said.
“If you win a trophy in pro football, that is most important because that is what the fans expect,” he continued.
He urged his team to “find fuel from setbacks and disappointments” as they aimed to turn around their rocky start.
United’s trajectory has been turbulent since the retirement of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, with five permanent managers departing in that period.
The club’s ongoing search for stability highlights the pressure on Manchester United’s leadership to find a manager capable of restoring the team’s former glory.
AFP
