MANCHESTER UNITED are already lining up a potential replacement for Erik ten Hag, according to reports.
The Red Devils could be set to battle it out with neighbours Manchester City to secure the services of in-demand manager Ruben Amorim.
Amorim, 39, is in charge of Sporting Lisbon and has helped the Portuguese side return to being a dominant domestic force and a competitive European club.
His work at Sporting attracted the interest of Liverpool over the summer in their search for a replacement for Jurgen Klopp, before they ultimately brought in Arne Slot.
And now it looks like the Premier League’s two Manchester giants could be battling it out for his services.
According to Sky Germany, Amorim is on the list of potential new managers for both United and City.
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City have been linked with the former Portugal international as a potential replacement for Pep Guardiola, should the Catalan tactician leave the Etihad when his contract expires this summer.
While they are also set to replace their sporting director, Txiki Begiristain with Sporting’s director of football Hugo Viana.
Should Viana join the four-in-a-row champions then that could increase City’s chances of convincing Amorim to make the jump.
But they will have competition from rivals Man Utd with Sky Germany’s report claiming that the Old Trafford outfit have made “specific enquiries” about Amorim and his situation at Sporting.
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United are caught in a limbo with current manager Erik ten Hag, who has been under mounting pressure for seemingly months but is still in his post despite a shocking start to the season.
Should they push ahead with luring Amorim as his replacement, United would likely have to keep Ten Hag as boss until the summer.
That’s because its claimed Amorim does not plan to leave Sporting this season due to his ambitions with the club.
However, his contact, which is valid until 2026, includes a release clause that is active from next summer.
United will be boosted by Amorim’s recent comments too, which seemed to rubbish the idea that he would simply follow sporting director Viana to Man City.
In an interview with Cabine Desportiva, he said: “Hugo Viana and me, we have different and separate paths.
“His appointment doesn’t mean that I’m going to Man City. We have a very good professional relationship.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
