Man Utd target Amorim pleads for time to ‘explain’ as Ten Hag replacement ‘travels to England’
The Manchester United managerial cycle continues and it looks to be Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim who is next in line at Old Trafford.
After Erik ten Hag had been sacked on Monday, reports quickly emerged as United had lined up a deal with Sporting, with the Premier League club having agreed to pay the release clause for the Portuguese boss.
Although reports surfaced, Amorim still had a team to manage on Tuesday night as Sporting beat Nacional 3-1, and as is always the case when United are in the news, reporters rushed to Portugal to get a word with the manager.
Amorim’s post match press conference was bombarded with questions surrounding his future, and was asked to address the United links.
Amorim said: “We have to wait a little bit to explain everything I need to explain, then it will be very clear.
He continued: “It is my decision. I will tell everything so we have to wait. I don’t know [how long this period will be].
Amorim was appointed as head coach in the Portuguese capital after taking charge of just 13 games in charge of Braga. Prior to that, he led the Braga B team and Casa Pia, but the proposition in Manchester is a whole new world compared to what he is used to.
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Amorim was also asked whether he will be at Old Trafford on Sunday to take charge of United’s clash against Chelsea.
He replied: “I will be here in Lisbon.” When Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill followed up with “definitely?”, Amorim laughed: “I don’t know,” before making a swift exit out of the press room.
Amorim has won two Portuguese league titles at the club, ending a 19 year wait in 2021. He had been touted as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City should he decide not to extend his current deal at the Etihad.
Sporting’s director of football Hugo Viana is already switching Lisbon for Manchester come the turn of the year after agreeing to replace the departing Txiki Begiristain.
A move to the Etihad would certainly be a smoother transition for Amorim with the players he would have at his disposal, as well as the best in class football leadership team City boast, though it looks like the 39-year-old is up for the challenge of awaking a sleeping giant and potentially taking United back to the top of English football, though that looks a far cry at this current moment in time.
Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of United until any deal for Amorim is made official.
