Manchester United’s move for Sporting Club de Portugal manager Rúben Amorim is ‘practically done’ despite his refusal to acknowledge that fact publically.
That’s according to O Jogo, who say the operation to get the Portuguese coach has been ongoing for some time and should be completely quickly.
They report that Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth were in Lisbon last week to try and close the deal for the Sporting coach. This is despite Erik ten Hag still being in charge at the club.
The duo wanted to get ahead of Manchester City, who were also said to be chasing Amorim’s signature, and the plans was always that he would be in charge for Sunday’s clash with Chelsea.
However, they appear to have been foiled in that attempt as everything indicates Amorim will only move to England after the clash against Estrela de Amadora on Friday. His assistants, Carlos Fernandes, Adélio Cândido and Francisco Vital will join him at Old Trafford.
Manchester United have ‘exceeded the release clause’, which was valued at €10m, to secure Amorim and his staff.
The coach, for his part, has not hesitated to make the switch and will be on a two-and-a-half-year deal worth €8m per year in Manchester.
Efforts to speed up his arrival appear to have failed, though, and at this point it’s thought he will only be departing Sporting after the clash with Estrela de Amadora on Friday… unless there is a significant change in the plans before then.
