JOSE MOURINHO has spoken glowingly about Ruben Amorim who looks poised to become the next Manchester United manager.
Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim, 39, is in advanced talks to succeed Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Earlier this year he was linked with the Liverpool and West Ham jobs – and even flew to London amid talks of him taking over from David Moyes.
And when he was being touted as The Hammers’ next coach in May, Mourinho, who gave Amorim an internship during his time at Man Utd, praised the Portuguese manager.
Speaking to Mais Futebol, he said: “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.
“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.
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“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 took his first managerial role at Portuguese side Casa Pia just months after working under Mourinho in 2018.
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‘I was expecting this’ – What Ruben Amorim said about Man Utd job links
RUBEN AMORIM has responded to being linked with a move to Manchester United.
The Sporting Lisbon coach, 39, is reportedly closing in on a deal worth £8million to become Erik ten Hag’s successor.
Just hours after Ten Hag’s dismissed on Monday morning, it emerged Man Utd chiefs were in talks with Amorim as they zero in on the Sporting boss.
But the ex-Braga coach remained tight-lipped on negotiations when quizzed by the media.
He said: “I was already expecting this question [about Man Utd].
“Obviously I’m not going to talk about the future, because otherwise I’ll always have to comment.
“I’m very proud to be Sporting coach, that’s all.”
He went on to coach Braga and then joined Sporting in 2020 – where he has gone on to win two league titles and two cups.
When compared to Mourinho earlier this year, Amorim said: “Don’t compare me to Mourinho. There will never be another Mourinho.”
Interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will be in charge of Man Utd’s Carabao Cup tie against Leicester at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
However, Amorim could be at the helm as soon as Sunday’s Premier League clash at home to Chelsea.
It is understood Man Utd will pay Sporting in the region of £8million to bring him to the club.
When asked about the job during a press conference on Monday, he said: “I was already expecting this question and obviously I’m not going to talk about the future, because otherwise I’ll always have to comment.
“I’m very proud to be Sporting coach, that’s all.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
