Man Utd news LIVE: Amorim gives update after release clause triggered

Manchester United have registered an interest in hiring Ruben Amorim and paying the Sporting Lisbon manager’s release clause, the Portuguese club have confirmed.

After sacking Erik ten Hag on Monday, the Red Devils have moved quickly to identify the Portuguese as the next manager at Old Trafford.

And in an official statement, Sporting have notified the Portuguese financial regulator, with the club listed on the stock market, of United’s position as negotiations continue.

The Portuguese club said: “Manchester United have registered an interest in hiring Rúben Amorim and paying his €10 million release clause.”

Amorim could now be in place by the time United face Chelsea in Sunday’s Premier League match.

“We have to wait a little bit more to explain what I need to explain, then it will be very clear,” says Ruben Amorim.

“Yes, it is my decision, I will tell everything, we have to wait. I don’t know [how long].”

Pushed over whether he will be at Old Trafford for Man Utd v Chelsea on Sunday, Amorim maintains he will still be in Portugal.

“I will be here [at Sporting].”

Definitely?

“I don’t know.”

Pep Guardiola has offered to give Erik ten Hag advice or support following his sacking by Manchester United.

“Any time! Seriously! Always we are open, but I think it’s not going to happen,” Guardiola said.

“But I know his agent a little bit, so the relation is there, no problem for me, for us…”

Bruno Fernandes spoke glowingly last year about Ruben Amorim and his potential as a manager.

The Sporting boss has been tipped to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United and the Portuguese midfielder’s remarks from last year suggest he will be pleased with the potential appointment.

“I think all the qualities are there to be able to succeed in English, French, or Spanish football,” Fernandes told SportTV last year.

“Obviously, we know that the Premier League is probably the most desired. The qualities [to succeed in England] are there and he has everything to take the next step, in my opinion.”

Ten Hag was sacked as United first-team manager on Monday following a disappointing start to the season.

They slipped into 14th in the Premier League table following their fourth league defeat of the season, by West Ham on Sunday.

Speculation had mounted over the Dutchman’s position in recent weeks and Ferdinand admitted he was unsurprised to see the boss go.

Ruben Amorim is in talks to become the next manager of Manchester United, with the 39-year-old set to finally take the next step in his coaching career after being linked with some of the biggest jobs in Europe as a result of his impressive work at Sporting Lisbon.

The Portuguese is considering the opportunity to replace Erik ten Hag as United negotiate with Sporting over his release fee. United’s football operations department placed Amorim at the top of their list and are hoping he can be convinced to leave Sporting mid-season.

If United are successful, they will appoint a manager who has been one of the most in-demand coaches in Europe over the last year.

Manchester United are in talks to try and appoint Ruben Amorim, with the Sporting CP head coach now understood to be considering the opportunity. The Old Trafford hierarchy have put the 39-year-old top of their list, having not considered him during the summer. They are also willing to negotiate with the Portuguese club about a release fee.

United are seeking to impress on Amorim the opportunity that the job presents, in what would almost serve as a clean slate. With interest having grown since the start of the season, Amorim is known to have been reluctant to leave Sporting mid-season. The Portuguese has restored the club to glory, and already has them clear at the top of the table in what would be a third title, after 2020-21 and 2023-24.

De Gea left United in 2023 after contract talks with the club broke down. Erik ten Hag had made clear he planned to sign a goalkeeper who specialised with the ball at his feet, and United brought in Andre Onana that summer.

It says much about Manchester United’s decision on Monday to sack Erik ten Hag, as well as the club’s long-term indecision, that even the Dutch coach’s great victory offered reasons to make a change. In the days before May’s FA Cup final, the Dutch coach was insistent on going “toe to toe” with Manchester City. It was only after hours of internal debate, led by Darren Fletcher, that Ten Hag relented. He had to be told to go with different tactics.

United still persisted with the manager, even though the decision to make a change had largely been settled on before that final. That stance was revealed with how they essentially interviewed Ten Hag for his own job over the weeks after, in a first big move by the new Ineos football leadership. It immediately undermined another season. United’s multi-headed hierarchy couldn’t ultimately settle on the right replacement, which remains a problem. That, allied with initial fan emotion, was the only reason that the decision was delayed until now.