- Man United are in talks over a move for Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim
- Mourinho delivered his assessment of Amorim’s ability earlier this year
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Former Man United boss Jose Mourinho has detailed his verdict on whether Ruben Amorim would be prepared for the Premier League, with the Red Devils in talks to appoint the Sporting head coach.
Man United are closing in on making the 39-year-old their next manager following the decision to sack Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag was dismissed on Monday morning with Man United lying 14th in the Premier League, with the highly-rated Amorim targeted as his successor.
Amorim has attracted Premier League interest having been linked with Liverpool and West Ham this year.
The 39-year-old had flown to London for talks with West Ham earlier this year, before apologising and remaining as Sporting boss.
Jose Mourinho gave his verdict on Man United target Ruben Amorim, left, earlier this year
Man United are in talks to name the Sporting head coach as their next manager following Erik ten Hag’s departure
Mourinho, who served as Man United manager between 2016 and 2018, had offered a glowing assessment of Amorim in May.
He insisted the Sporting boss would be able to handle a move to the Premier League, stating he was capable of managing ‘in any club’.
‘It’s also a question I shouldn’t answer, but what can I tell you? I like him [Amorim] as a person, I like him as a coach,’ Mourinho told Mais Futebol.
‘I think he has the conditions to be able to coach in any league and he has the conditions to be able to coach in any club.
‘But he’s in a good league and he’s in a big club.
‘The decision is his and it will be up to the clubs that want him or not, to convince him with more or less arguments.
‘What is clear from my side is that I like the person and I like the coach.’
Amorim had previously served an internship under Mourinho at Man United back in 2018. The internship came at the start of his coaching career, with Amorim taking charge of the lower-league Lisbon club Casa Pia the same year.
Amorim had completed a coaching internship under Mourinho at Man United back in 2018
The Sporting head coach has been compared to Mourinho for his communication style
Amorim has previously stated that his reference has ‘always been Mourinho’, who he has labelled as a ‘unique’ coach.
Mail Sport revealed last week that Amorim was one of four targets if Ten Hag was axed.
Man United announced on Monday morning that the Dutchman’s two-and-a-half-year reign at Old Trafford was over.
His assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy has been put in temporary charge, but United swiftly opened talks with Amorim and Sporting over triggering the £8.5millon release clause in his contract in Portugal.
It’s understood that Amorim was planning to leave Sporting at the end of the season, but was made aware of United’s interest earlier this month and has had two rounds of talks.
Amorim has also been linked with Manchester City if Pep Guardiola leaves next summer after it was confirmed that Hugo Viana, his director of football at Sporting, will replace Txiki Begiristain in the same role at the Etihad last season.
