Manager would be ‘very willing to listen’ to Man Utd amid Erik ten Hag sack talk

Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim would be “very willing to listen” to Manchester United if they sack Erik ten Hag, according to a Portuguese journalist.

A report in The Times on Thursday claimed that the Red Devils are exploring alternatives to Ten Hag after his side’s terrible start to the new campaign.

The newspaper insist that Amorim and former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane are two of the names under consideration if they decide to part company with the Dutchman.

Man Utd are coming off the back of two consecutive 3-0 defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle United with Ten Hag’s side currently eighth in the Premier League and struggling in their Champions League group.

The pressure is building on Ten Hag is apparently ‘on thin ice’ and another report has claimed Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi is the preferred candidate for Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is in the process of buying a 25 per cent stake in Man Utd from the Glazers.

But, although Portuguese journalist Sofia Oliveira, admits Amorim would be open to speaking to Man Utd, she doubts the Sporting Lisbon boss would want to take such a “big step” at the moment.

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“I think Ruben Amorim is very much about his choices. He takes baby steps,” Oliveira said.

“If we can say that it’s not just football that he’s left the teams he’s played for, it’s because he’s always been on the rise. At least that’s how I see it, he’s always been on the rise.

“He’s predisposed to take bigger steps that he can handle. You need to look at Manchester United in that context.

“He’d be very willing to listen to a possible proposal, but I don’t believe it’d be a project he’d snatch up, flirt with, or embrace with open arms.

“Bear in mind it’s a club that’s very much in dispute. It has that aura of being a great English club, a grand old club. But it doesn’t seem like at this point in his career he’d want to take that big a step. Not if you’re looking at the current situation at Manchester United.”

Man Utd issued a strong two-word response to rumours that they are exploring alternatives to Ten Hag with the club calling the reports “categorically false”.

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