Manchester United is in discussions to appoint Ruben Amorim, currently the manager of Sporting CP, as the successor to Erik ten Hag, according to sources from The Athletic's David Ornstein and Adam Crafton. The club is reportedly willing to pay €10 million to secure Amorim's release from a contract that has a year and a half remaining.
Ten Hag was dismissed on Monday following a disappointing start to the Premier League season, with United sitting in 14th place. Over the past two years, Amorim has been linked to various managerial positions in England. Chelsea reportedly considered him before hiring Mauricio Pochettino in 2023, and he was included in Liverpool's shortlist for Jurgen Klopp's replacement. In May, he traveled to London to interview for the West Ham United vacancy but later issued an apology to fans in Portugal for his actions.
Following Ten Hag's departure, United appointed assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy as the caretaker manager. This change came just days after a 2-1 defeat to West Ham, marking the club's worst start to a season in 35 years. United has also struggled in the Europa League, remaining winless after three matches.
This managerial change is the first overseen by INEOS since Jim Ratcliffe acquired a minority stake in the club in February. Ten Hag's contract was extended until June 2026 after an internal review and interviews with potential candidates, including Thomas Tuchel, who has since been appointed as England's national team manager.
United has maintained an interest in Brentford's Thomas Frank but appears to be prioritizing Amorim following his impressive record at Sporting. The team is currently undefeated in Portugal's Primeira Liga, boasting a record of 9 wins and no losses, having scored 30 goals while conceding only two. Additionally, Sporting is positioned eighth in the Champions League table, having won two of its first three matches, which secures automatic qualification for the knockout stage.
In a related development, Sporting's sporting director Hugo Viana is reportedly set to join Manchester City, raising speculation that Amorim may follow him to the Etihad as Pep Guardiola's eventual successor. United may be acting preemptively in light of these developments.
