Ruben Amorim speaks out on Man United move as Sporting boss insists nothing decided
Ruben Amorim insisted he has not yet finalised a move to Manchester United after taking charge of Sporting on Tuesday night.
United have made the Portuguese coach their number one target to succeed the sacked Erik ten Hag, and have informed Sporting they will pay the €10million (£8.3m) release clause in Amorim's contract.
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talkSPORT understands his Sporting contract includes a clause of a 30-day notice period.
The Primeira Liga club want Amorim to stay until after the November international break, but United are negotiating with them to get him to Old Trafford sooner.
Separate talks regarding taking three backroom staff members including long-term assistant Carlos Fernandez are also ongoing.
Speaking after Sporting's Portuguese League Cup win over Nacional on Tuesday evening, Amorim told reporters: "Nothing is decided yet. I don't know if it's the farewell game or not."
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In his post-match press conference, Amorim added: "We have to wait a little bit more to explain everything I need to explain and then everything will be very clear.
"It's my decision. I will tell everything so we have to wait. That's it."
Man United hoped to have Amorim in the dugout when they face Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.
But Amorim said he would be at training with Sporting on Wednesday, and indicated he would be in in charge for theFriday's league game against Estrela da Amadora.
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Asked if he will be in the dugout for United's game against Chelsea on Sunday, Amorim said: "I will be here." But when quizzed further, he added: "I don't know."
Many Sporting fans were reduced to tears at the prospect of Amorim leaving, but there was no big farewell gesture from the 39-year-old after Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Nacional as he simply made a hasty exit down the tunnel at the end.
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In a statement to Portugal's financial regulator, the CMVM, earlier on Tuesday, Sporting had given notice to investors of the approach from United and indicated that a deal would be completed.
The statement read: "Sporting Club de Portugal hereby, under the terms and for the purposes of complying with the information obligation arising from the provisions of article 17 of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April, informs the market in the following terms:
"1. Manchester United FC has expressed an interest in hiring coach Rúben Amorim, and the Board of Directors of Sporting SAD has referred to the terms and conditions set out in the employment contract in force between the Company and the coach, specifically the respective termination clause and the amount of Euro 10,000,000.00;
"2. Manchester United FC has expressed an interest in paying Sporting SAD the amount of the aforementioned clause."
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Amorim has won two Portuguese titles and two League Cups with Sporting since joining the club in March 2020.
talkSPORT understands Amorim is set to triple his current £2.15million-a-year salary, and will be joined at United by assistants Carlos Fernandes and Adelilo Candido.
Amorim had also been identified as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The Premier League champions have agreed to make Sporting chief Hugo Viana their new sporting director when Txiki Begiristain stands down next summer - and many thought this put Amorim in the box seat to replace Guardiola.
However, United met Amorim last week to lay the foundations for him to replace Ten Hag after concluding that United were not making rapid enough progress under the Dutchman in terms of performances and results.
After two-and-a-half years in charge, Ten Hag became the fifth permanent manager to be sacked by the Red Devils since Sir Alex Ferguson quit in 2013.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has been named interim boss - and the club legend will oversee the visit of Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday - live on talkSPORT 2.
It was expected Amorim would then take the reins in time for the Chelsea clash but it now looks like that responsibility will be handed to the Dutchman.
Henry Winter gives insight into what Manchester United can expect from Ruben Amorim
The much-improved Blues are currently fifth in the Premier League table, six points ahead of United, who are languishing in 14th after a losing four of their opening nine top-flight matches this season.
United have also failed to win any of their opening three matches in the Europa League.
The Red Devils made unwanted history last term, falling to their lowest-ever finish in the Premier League era (eighth), suffering their most defeats and finishing with a negative goal difference for the first time in 34 years.
Ten Hag survived a summer review at United, buoyed by having beaten Manchester City to lift the FA Cup in May, but after only three wins from nine league games the club have swiftly had a rethink.
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The club had wanted to give Ten Hag the chance to work within a new sporting structure put in place over the summer, but results and performances have forced their hand.
It is understood the club's hierarchy had not seen enough progress in Ten Hag's side to believe they were on the right path to challenge again for the Premier League title.
After replacing interim manager Ralf Rangnick, Ten Hag ended the club's six-year wait for a major trophy in his first season when his side beat Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
The former Ajax boss also led United to a third-placed top-flight finish but his second season saw them knocked out of the Champions League group phase before finishing eighth in the Premier League.
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Despite rampant speculation that he would be sacked in the summer, the club opted to trigger a contract extension until 2026 after carrying out an extensive review.
Ten Hag, United's fifth permanent head coach since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, had led Ajax to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-finals and also won the league and cup double with them in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
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