Manchester United are interested in appointing Sporting boss Ruben Amorim as their new manager and are willing to pay his 10m euros (£8.3m) release clause, the Portuguese club say.
The Red Devils need a new manager after sacking Erik ten Hag on Monday.
“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,” Sporting said in a statement to Portugal’s financial regulator, the CMVM.
Amorim, 39, is a highly regarded coach who has won two Portuguese league titles with Sporting – including their first in 19 years – since joining in 2020.
United have declined to comment on the reports.
Ten Hag was dismissed after Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham left the club 14th in the Premier League with just three wins from their opening nine matches.
United are also 21st of 36 teams in the Europa League table, having drawn their three opening fixtures.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, who joined the club as Ten Hag’s assistant last summer, has been named as interim manager and will take charge of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Leicester City.
United’s next Premier League game is against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Portuguese manager Amorim said he was expecting a question about the Manchester United job but was not prepared to talk about it.
Sporting face Nacional in the Portuguese League Cup on Tuesday evening.
Amorim – whose contract runs until June 2026 – held talks with West Ham in April but there was no agreement and the Portuguese subsequently apologised to Sporting for holding discussions behind the club’s back.
‘It is not an appointment without risk’
This latest development makes it increasingly likely Amorim will be in charge for Manchester United’s Premier League game against Chelsea on Sunday.
That would represent a speedy process given United were not expecting to sack Ten Hag within 24 hours when the club took to the pitch against West Ham.
Providing United turn an expression of interest into an actual request to take Amorim from Sporting, it is not an appointment that would come without risk.
For starters, Amorim has never managed outside the Portuguese league. Sporting are a big club but United are on another scale. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer aside, every manager who has followed Sir Alex Ferguson had far more experience than Amorim – and the goldfish bowl that is Old Trafford eventually became too much for all of them.
There are also some unanswered questions. How much is Amorim getting paid? What is his contract length? Will there be any money to spend on transfers? How will his preferred three-man defence fit with a squad that is stacked with wingers and number 10s? Will fellow countryman Bruno Fernandes retain the captaincy? What happens to Van Nistelrooy after the EFL Cup tie with Leicester?
These will doubtless be answered over the next few days, within any formal announcement and media conference that will follow at some point.
For now, Amorim must get through what is almost certain to be his last game as Sporting boss, say his farewells and get ready for the biggest challenge of his career.
‘Amorim is a crowd-pleaser’
Amorim would admit he is still adding layers of knowledge to his methods but he still believes football only makes sense if those watching are thrilled by it.
As well as those lessons from his former coach Jorge Jesus, Amorim looked closely at those who show a special quality as leaders, including Jose Mourinho.
He is, though, an enthusiast of spectacular, offensive football, with lots of goals, domination and control. He is a crowd-pleaser.
