Manchester United is reportedly in discussions to appoint Ruben Amorim of Sporting CP as the successor to Erik ten Hag, according to sources cited by The Athletic’s David Ornstein and Adam Crafton.
The club is willing to pay €10 million to release Amorim from his current contract, which has 18 months remaining. Ten Hag was dismissed on Monday, leaving United in 14th place in the Premier League standings.
Amorim has been a candidate for several managerial positions in England over the past two years. Chelsea had approached the 39-year-old prior to hiring Mauricio Pochettino in 2023, and he was also among the potential replacements for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. In May, Amorim traveled to London for an interview with West Ham United but later expressed regret to fans in Portugal for his actions.
In the wake of Ten Hag’s exit, United appointed assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy as caretaker following a disappointing 2-1 defeat to West Ham, marking the club’s worst start to a season in 35 years. Additionally, United remains winless in the Europa League after three matches.
This managerial change is the first overseen by INEOS since founder Jim Ratcliffe acquired a minority stake in February. Ten Hag’s contract had recently been extended until June 2026 after an internal review and interviews with candidates, including Thomas Tuchel, who has since been named the permanent manager of England’s national team.
United has also held an interest in Brentford’s Thomas Frank but seems to be prioritizing Amorim due to his impressive performance at Sporting, where the team is currently undefeated at 9-0-0 in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, with 30 goals scored and only two conceded. Sporting is also performing well in the Champions League, sitting eighth in the table with two wins from three matches, ensuring a strong position for knockout stage qualification.
Additionally, Sporting is expected to lose sporting director Hugo Viana to Manchester City, as he reportedly reached an agreement to succeed Txiki Begiristain as the new director of football. This development has led to speculation that Amorim might follow him to the Etihad as Pep Guardiola’s future successor, prompting United to act swiftly.
