Man City make shock decision on Man Utd target Amorim as Sporting boss is told to keep ‘promise’
Man Utd have a clear path to bring in Ruben Amorim as Man City don’t see him as ‘a top candidate to take over’ from Pep Guardiola, according to reports.
Erik ten Hag was dismissed on Monday, a day after Man Utd suffered their fourth Premier League defeat of the season at West Ham, dropping to 14th in the table. They have won only one of their last eight games in all competitions.
Within hours of that announcement being made, reports said the Old Trafford club were willing to pay the 10 million euros (£8.3million) release clause to secure 39-year-old Amorim, whose Sporting Lisbon side sit top of the Portuguese table.
Portuguese coach Amorim has won two Portuguese titles and two League Cups with Sporting since joining the club in March 2020.
In recent weeks he has been suggested as a future Man City manager, with Sporting’s Hugo Viana, a close friend, due to move to the blue half of Manchester as the club’s new director of football next season.
Guardiola is out of contract at the end of the season with his future not yet officially decided as reports speculate whether he will stay or go.
But Man Utd target Amorim is not under consideration at Man City if Guardiola leaves the Etihad Stadium in the summer.
ESPN journalist Rob Dawson revealed on X: ‘Understand there’s no concern from Man City’s side that United are in talks with Sporting for Amorim. Not considered a top candidate to take over from Guardiola (when he leaves) primarily because his system doesn’t fit with the way City play. Clear run for United on that front.’
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Portuguese politician Andre Pinotes Batista, who is a fan of Sporting, has urged Amorim to stay another season in Lisbon and fulfill his “promise” of winning two titles in a row.
Batista said: “How good it is to be great. How good it is to be champion, how good it is to be happy. It’s time to start deconstructing this atmosphere of mourning that we feel at Sporting. There isn’t a single Sporting fan willing to give up Rúben Amorim.
“Manchester United are one of those few clubs you don’t say no to. It was like that with other coaches in Portugal. And all over Europe. There’s an issue here that has to be very clear. Nobody is eternal. Rúben Amorim won’t last forever either.
“I want him to stay until the end of the season and become a two-time (in a row) champion. That he fulfils his promise.”
