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      New Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim makes ex-Man City star top transfer target with ace ‘on verge of leaving’ European giants

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      INCOMING Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is reportedly lining up a move for former Manchester City defender Danilo.Amorim, who starts life at Old Trafford on Monday, could look to sign the Juventus centre-back as early as January.Ruben Amorim is keen on former City title winner DaniloCredit: ReutersDanilo is on the verge of leaving JuventusCredit: RexAmorim feels that Danilo could improve United defensively, according to a report from Juve Live.The 33-year-old star could prove to be a useful short-term acquisition for the Red Devils as they look to tighten up at the back.Danilo – who captains both Juventus and Brazil – is apparently on the verge of leaving Turin.This follows reports that Danilo’s agent has been reaching out to several clubs, including Amorim’s new club United.READ MORE ON MAN UTDThe Brazilian defender’s contract with the Serie A giants expires next summer.But Thiago Motta’s side could be tempted to cash him in for a reasonable price in January.Otherwise, they could lose Danilo for free at the end of the season.His age doesn’t fit the strategy being imposed by Ineos, who are making strides to sign players under 25.Most read in FootballDanilo’s stats last seasonFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSUnited prioritised younger signings like Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and even Arsenal’s 16-year-oldstriker Chido Obi-Martin.But with United often suffering with injuries at the back, he could be a quality alternative and brings a wealth of dressing room knowledge.Manchester United Player Ratings: Post-Match Analysis (1)Danilo has proven Premier League experience – and under Pep Guardiola too.The veteran defender won two Prem titles with United’s fierce rivals City between 2017 and 2019.He also lifted two Champions League trophies with Real Madrid before joining City.After two years in the Prem, he joined then Serie A champs Juventus on a five-year deal worth £30m.Amorim will need all the help he can get when he takes over from interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy on November 11.The Red Devils have endured their worst-ever start to a Prem campaign, sitting 13th in the table. More

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      Jack Grealish at centre of club-versus-country row as England call-up leaves Pep Guardiola furious at Lee Carsley

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      JACK GREALISH is at the centre of a club-v-country row over his England call-up.Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is fuming with the FA and interim manager Lee Carsley for picking the £100million ace — who has not played since October 20 due to a groin injury.Jack Grealish with Man City boss Pep GuardiolaCredit: ReutersGrealish has been recalled by Lee CarsleyCredit: GettyThree Lions sources insist they were in regular contact with City medics and were assured he was available for the Nations League double-header.Carsley said Grealish, who misses City’s tea-time trip to Brighton today, returned to training this week — but Guardiola hit back: “It’s his decision.“It’s a question for the England manager, I’m not involved. They can select who they want. “All I’d say is the day after Wolves, he was injured — 17 days out and Friday was the first training with the team.READ MORE IN football “He trained 20 minutes. This is the reality. He was in the gym a few minutes, yes, the last two days. But for my team he’s not fit — he cannot play.“They can select who they want. Jack trained and believes he can help, so I’m not the guy to say you cannot go.“All I can say is that over two weeks he didn’t train but the people from England believe he can help. So go.”Guardiola was angry when John Stones played in the March internationals despite fitness fears.Most read in FootballSouthgate vs Tuchel records comparedTHOMAS TUCHELAugsburg II 2007-2008P34 W 20 D8 L6 Win percentage: 58.82%Mainz 05 2009-2014P184 W72 D46 L66 Win percentage: 39.13%Borussia Dortmund 2015-2017P107 W67 D23 L17 Win percentage: 62.62%Honours: DFB Pokal Paris Saint Germain 2018-2020P127 W95 D13 L16 Win percentage: 74.8%Honours: Ligue 1 X2, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, Trophee des Champions x2Chelsea 2021-2022P100 W60 D24 L16 Win percentage: 60%Honours: Champions League, Super Cup, Club World CupBayern Munich 2023-2024P61 W37 D8 L16 Win percentage: 60.66%Honours: BundesligaGARETH SOUTHGATEMiddlesbrough 2006-2009P151 W54 D43 Win percentage: 35.76%England U21 2013-2016P37 W27 D5 L5 Win percentage: 72.97%Honours: Toulon tournamentEngland 2016-2024P102 W61 D24 L17 Win percentage: 59.8%Honours: Euros runners up, 2020, 2024CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSNow he is on a collision course with the FA again ahead of next week’s Greece and Republic of Ireland clashes.Pep is also unimpressed Grealish, 29, wants to go.Jack Grealish owes Trent Alexander-Arnold £500 as he’s made to regret wager within seconds during England clashHe said: “Have I spoken to him? Yes. He said, ‘I want to go to the national team’. Am I surprised? No.”Asked if it could help the forward get fit for a busy couple of months, Guardiola said: “Maybe. The manager from the UK will know better.“Our medical department haven’t told me they spoke with them.”But FA sources last night insisted there had been dialogue with City about Grealish’s availability before Thursday’s squad announcement.Guardiola also indicated he will not be signing a new deal in the international break.The last two times he has extended his stay, he has done so in November.But Pep said: “I said many times, I won’t talk about it. When it happens, it will happen.” More

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      Awkward moment Sky Sports pundits drenched and forced to run for cover after sprinkler gaffe on live TV

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      A SKY SPORTS presenter couldn’t resist joking as two pundits got a soaking – just as she had gleefully predicted.Caroline Barker’s pre-match analysis went beyond tactics when she took to the Etihad pitch with ex-Lionesses Steph Houghton and Izzy Christiansen.Houghton and Christiansen take evasive action after a belated Barker warningThe trio were discussing how Women’s Super League leaders Manchester City would fare against Tottenham on Friday night.But Barker suddenly spotted some ominous sprinklers springing into action behind the trio as they stood with their microphones.Pointing at the two ex-City stars, she smiled and told them: “You’re about to get soaked and I’m about to laugh.”Almost in the same breath, and just as the sprinklers took aim on their surprise new targets, Barker added: “There we go!”READ MORE TOP STORIESHoughton and Christiansen turned open-mouthed and moved as swiftly as they did at their peak of their playing careers – but this time to run for cover behind the Sky Sports table.Even the broadcaster joined in the fun at the duo’s expense.Sky noted on social media that the pair suffered “a surprise when one of the pitchside sprinklers attacked mid analysis!”Tottenham then faced an unwarranted torrent of their own – looking all over the place as City poured forward early on.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSKhadija Shaw bagged a double early on for Gareth Taylor’s team.Jill Roord’s thumping third goal in three games put City in command midway through the second half before Shaw completed her hat-trick in a 4-0 win.TV presenters Alex Scott and Jules Breach stun on red carpet for PFA awards night in daring outfitsFormer centre-back Houghton, 36, and ex-attacker Christiansen, 33, were each at the Etihad the last time City picked up the title.But that was way back in 2016.Chelsea have lifted every crown since then – bar Arsenal’ s 2018-19 triumph.But for Houghton such matters as titles are trivial compared to her husband’s battle with motor neurone disease.Former Liverpool, Bradford and Bolton defender Stephen Darby, 36, is now eating through a tube following a “life-changing” procedure.Steph told The Guardian it was the best thing for him during a “tough ride” and would allow him to relax a bit more. More

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      Brilliant moment Jack Grealish joins Aston Villa fans in Bruges pub on FaceTime after being dropped from Man City squad

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      JACK GREALISH was seen on FaceTime with Aston Villa fans after being left out of Manchester City’s Champions League squad.Villa and City were both in action this week in Europe, with Grealish’s old side taking on Club Brugge on Wednesday and his current taking on Sporting CP on Tuesday.Jack Grealish was seen on FaceTime with Aston Villa fansCredit: XIt came after he was left out of Man City’s team to face Sporting CPCredit: XGrealish was not present as Pep Guardiola’s team suffered a 4-1 defeat to the Portuguese side on Ruben Amorim’s final home game in charge before he takes over at Manchester United.However, the 29-year-old opted to spend some of the evening on FaceTime with fans of his former club.A video shared to social media showed Grealish on a video call with Villa fans following their game in Bruges, where they lost 1-0 following an inexplicable handball from Tyrone Mings.But seeing Grealish on the phone while they were in the pub seemed to brighten their spirits.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThey were heard chanting about Grealish during the call.It went: “Take me on up to the spirit in the sky. “It’s where I want to go when I die. “When I die and they lay me to rest, I’m going to go on the p*** with Jack Grealish.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSGrealish was expected to be out of action until after the international break.But earlier today he was named in Lee Carsley’s final England squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over the team.Jack Grealish owes Trent Alexander-Arnold £500 as he’s made to regret wager within seconds during England clashGrealish has had a stop-start season after missing out on Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad for Euro 2024.He has made 10 appearances and has two assists to his name, but is yet to score.The defeats in the Champions League this week were the first for both Villa and City in the competition this season.This weekend Man City pay a visit to Brighton, while Unai Emery’s Villa are away at league leaders Liverpool. More

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      Jack Grealish tipped for stunning return to former club as ‘very good friend’ says ‘it would have to be right for him’

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      JACK GREALISH has been tipped to make a shock return to Aston Villa.The 29-year-old swapped his boyhood club for Manchester City in a £100million deal back in 2021.Jack Grealish has been tipped to leave City for VillaCredit: ReutersHenri Lansbury reckons Grealish will one day look to return to Villa ParkCredit: GettySince joining Pep Guardiola’s side, Grealish has won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Champions League.But a difficult season last term saw him fail to land a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.He has also struggled to nail down a spot in the City side this season, being named in the starting XI just six times amid injury issues.Grealish’s “very good friend” and former team-mate Henri Lansbury reckons he could benefit by moving back to Villa.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe said at the launch of Ladbrokes’ Gaffer of all Accas: “The Man City move was an unreal one for Jack. He deserves every bit of success. “But now that he is there, you can’t forget you’re putting him in a team where, whoever they are coming up against, they are putting 11 men and their dog behind the ball. “When he was in the Villa team, it was a case of ‘give it to Jack’ and let him do his thing. “It’s a totally different thing for him now, but I think he’s been fantastic. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”I am honestly so happy for him. He is one of the nicest kids you will ever meet, and he’s also a very good friend of mine. “But this is just a totally different playing style under Guardiola. Jack Grealish owes Trent Alexander-Arnold £500 as he’s made to regret wager within seconds during England clash”You see him do bits here and there, and he will still get assists and goals, but I’m sure he will want to do more himself. “In terms of an Aston Villa return… I think it’s something he would want to do.”But it would have to be when the time is right for him.”It remains to be seen whether Grealish will one day return to Villa Park and whether they could afford him after PSR battles in the summer.But it might not take much to convince him to come home as they are currently flying high in the Premier League and Champions League under Unai Emery. More

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      Sporting Lisbon 4 Man City 1: Ruben Amorim produces tactical masterclass to make huge statement ahead of Man Utd move

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      THEY’LL be rolling out the red carpet for Ruben Amorim in Manchester on Monday now.And they should be having a whip round at Old Trafford to get Viktor Gyokeres to follow him to Old Trafford as soon as possible.Ruben Amorim said farewell to Sporting fans ahead of joining Manchester UnitedCredit: AFPGoal machine Viktor Gyokeres was on the scoresheet again with a clever finish over EdersonCredit: ReutersMaximiliano Araujo put Sporting ahead after a brilliant team move just seconds into the second-halfCredit: AFPGyokeres made it 3-1 from the spotCredit: RexErling Haaland saw a penalty hit the barCredit: ReutersGyokeres completed his hat-trick with another coolly dispatched penCredit: ReutersTogether they produced the ultimate fairytale farewell to the Jose Alvalade Stadium for the United-bound boss.What an extraordinary way to endear himself to his new fans.His team inflicted a first Champions League defeat in 90 minutes on Pep Guardiola’s mighty Manchester City since May 2022 – 32 matches ago.Not to mention the heaviest loss in any competition in over four years for the ‘noisy neighbours’.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIf this is the kind of entertainment that is heading for the Theatre of Dreams, then fasten your seatbelts.Gyokeres got a hat-trick – including two penalties – to enhance his reputation as one of the hottest properties in Europe.He could have had more too and looks exactly what goal-shy United need right now.  They say if you can’t be a good manager then be a lucky one – and Amorim certainly had his share of good fortune.Most read in Champions LeagueFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSCity bossed the first-half and should have been out of sight – while Erling Haaland also uncharacteristically missed a second-half pen.But credit to Amorim and his team for hanging in there and then hitting the English champs with some stunning breakaways.New Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim in awkward interview with reporter The manager was given a huge ovation by the crowd before kick-off – while a huge banner showed the trophies he has won and simply said “thank you”.Yet he had expressed his worries before kick-off that the emotion of the last week might affect his players.And sure enough they began nervously despite their excellent start to the season and fell behind within four minutes.Keeper Franco Israel rolled a pass to Hidemasa Morita who didn’t look best pleased when he was dispossessed in the blink of an eye by Foden.The England ace took a couple more touches before thumping a shot past the Sporting keeper – who might be disappointed not to keep it out.Foden has now scored in eight of his last nine appearances in this competition and seems to be going through the gears after a slow start to the season.Yet the home side could have levelled within a couple of minutes as Gyokeres nipped in ahead of Rico Lewis and raced through on goal from his own half.The in-form former Coventry man never looked confident though as Ederson stood up to him and his chipped effort was weak.Back at the other end, Haaland saw one chance clawed away by Israel and blazed another wide after a delightful pass from Matheus Nunes.The Norwegian was getting plenty of opportunities and saw a looping header hoofed off the line before Israel flung himself to keep out a volley.Haaland was being made to wait for his 45th goal in this competition – but you know with him it wont be long.Stand-in skipper Bernardo Silva latched onto a cheeky back-heel from Foden but steered his shot just past the post.Sporting have won all ten of their domestic league games this season and were neck-and-neck with City in the table.City should have been out of sight given their chance – they weren’t though – and were made to pay shortly before the break.Geovany Quenda found Gyokeres and this time he held off teenage defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey before clipping home his shot.The Swedish forward – who now has 25 goals this season for club and country – is a huge cult figure in Lisbon and the fans went wild.Don’t be surprised if a bid comes in from Old Trafford before long.As the home fans celebrated, Amorim called a quartet of players over to dish out some tactical advice. No sign of him clocking off early.He can clearly give a half-time team talk too as his side came roaring out for the second-half.Just 19 seconds after the restart the home side were ahead as Pedro Goncalves threaded a pass to Max Araujo whose shot went straight through Ederson.Sporting fans unveiled a huge tifo to say goodbye to AmorimCredit: TNT SPORTSThe home fans were still celebrating as Josko Gvardiol lost the ball on the left and then upended Francisco Trincao.It was a clear penalty and Gyokeres did the rest – sending the City keeper the wrong way with an emphatic spot-kick.City were shell-shocked as they faced up to the prospect of losing three games in a row for the first time in six years.They got a lifeline midway through the second-half as Silva’s shot hit the arm of Ousmane Diomande.After a long VAR check a penalty was given and after an even longer wait, Haaland hammered his spot-kick against the bar.It was clearly Amorim’s night – and not City’s.And that much was clear as former Sporting star Nunes shoved over Geny Catamo in the box to earn the third pen of the night.READ MORE SUN STORIESGyokeres kept his cool and rattled in from the spot again to spark more bedlam and complete his hat-trick.Welcome to Manchester, Ruben Amorim.Phil Foden opened the scoring after just four minutesCredit: Getty More

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      Man City’s title bid is being derailed by the loss of Pep Guardiola’s secret weapon he feared it was a ‘mistake’ to sell

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      MANCHESTER City’s title bid is being derailed by the absence of a key player from last season.And we’re not talking about injured midfield lynchpin and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.Julian Alvarez was a key figure in Manchester City winning their fourth title in a rowCredit: GettyBecause although the Spain midfielder was undeniably crucial to the triumphs of his club and country, Julian Alvarez was front and centre (and sometimes wide) in Pep Guardiola’s side in 2023/4.And selling Alvarez to Atletico Madrid for a massive profit in the summer is no longer looking like quite as good a deal for City.It was not only the Argentinian World Cup winner’s 11 goals and nine assists in 36 PL appearances that was important to City.Nor was Alvarez just a useful replacement for Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne when they were injured.READ MORE FOOTBALLThe versatile star also gave Guardiola the freedom to rotate his attacking options during or between games, keeping them out of the “red” zone and giving them the chance to perform at their peak more often.But Alvarez wanted to be the main man, playing regularly in a No 10 or No 9 role. That was not going to happen any time soon, so when Atletico offered him the chance to swap Manchester, where he had never really settled, for Madrid, he wanted the move.And City regarded as good business a fee of up to £81.5m for a wantaway player who cost an initial £14m in 2022.Yet Guardiola knew at the time that the sale of Alvarez could come back to bite his team, admitting “if we have many, many injuries it will be a problem”.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSGuardiola added: “Maybe it is a mistake, I don’t know, but I don’t like leaving players without playing for a long time. Pep Guardiola admits Man City were ‘hungover’ for FA Cup final defeat against Man Utd following Premier League title bash “When everyone is involved with a chance to play, the performance of the teams is always better.”Unfortunately for City, they have a lot of players without a chance to play at the moment.On the flipside, title rivals Arsenal are also feeling the effects of losing key players.And the Gunners are more dependent on their starting 11 than City and so less equipped to cope with injuries.Last season, four of Mikel Arteta’s squad played more than 3,000 minutes in the Premier League – William Saliba, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Magalhaes.Not a single City player did the same, with Rodri’s 2,937 league minutes putting him top of their workload charts but also behind Ben White (2,995) and only just ahead of Bukayo Saka (2,933).Phil Foden, second in the City rankings with 2,865, would have been eighth in the Arsenal list.The Gunners are undoubtedly suffering from the loss of injured captain Odegaard, whose skillset would be difficult for anyone to replace.But a slight drop-off in form from 2023/4 ever-present Saliba and partner Gabriel is also being felt, because of injuries and a lack of match sharpness among the defensive cover.Last weekend both Arsenal and City learned once more what can happen even to them if their best players are not fit and/or firing.Josko Gvardiol gave City hope at Bournemouth but the champions slipped to a 2-1 defeatCredit: AlamyFor most of the defeat against Bournemouth, Guardiola’s men looked pretty toothless, with Haaland struggling to make an impact and a lack of options on the bench to replace him.Andoni Iraola’s men were good value for their win.And Arsenal gave one of their flattest performances of the last two and a bit seasons at St James’ Park, as hosts Newcastle deservedly completed back-to-back home victories over the Gunners.At one point on Saturday, all three favourites for the title were losing.But although Liverpool came back to beat Brighton and return to the top of the league, no one at Anfield will be complacent.So far the Reds are coping well with the absence of the injured Diogo Jota, such is the array of attacking options that Arne Slot has.Yet how would they perform if player of the season so far Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister were to be unavailable for an extended period, despite the good form of Curtis Jones?And what if captain Virgil Van Dijk was out? When the Dutchman, like Rodri, suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for much of the 2020/1 season, Liverpool’s title defence collapsed.While Van Dijk and fellow centre back Joel Matip spent months on the sidelines, then Kop boss Jurgen Klopp desperately tried to plug the gap by moving central midfielders Jordan Henderson and/or Fabinho into the back four.The entire balance of the team was thrown off and the Reds only just scraped into the top four.READ MORE SUN STORIESCity’s overall strength in depth and potential spending power in the January transfer window mean they should still be well capable of maintaining a title challenge. But in a battle that could come down to a handful of points, the sale of Alvarez, as much as Rodri’s injury, may prove crucial. More

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      Why Man Utd’s dubious history of trying to gazump Man City means jury will be out on Ruben Amorim appointment

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have confirmed the appointment of Ruben Amorim as their new team boss.Amorim, 39, was announced on Friday as United’s new head coach – a first in history for the men’s team – and will takeover on November 11.Ruben Amorim is the latest Man Utd signing that was heavily linked to Man CityCredit: EPAUnited have had bad recent experiences with signing stars linked to City, including Cristiano RonaldoCredit: PAAlexis Sanchez is perhaps the worst case of a potential red herring signingCredit: Getty – ContributorThe Portuguese tactician, dubbed the Special One 2.0, had been heavily linked with a number of top clubs around Europe including Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.It was also widely reported that Manchester City had sounded out Amorim as the potential successor to Pep Guardiola, if the Spaniard were to leave on the expiry of his contract in 2025.City had distanced themselves from those reports, but the link was only strengthened with the news of Sporting CP director Hugo Viana moving to the reigning Premier League champions next summer. A report during the Amorim-United saga suggested United CEO Omar Berrada had moved for the ex-midfielder due to his intimate knowledge of City’s operation, having previously worked at the club.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt means United have moved for another City transfer target in an effort to gazump them.While this new era under Ineos could have already turned the leaf and made this merely coincidental, previous United deals for City targets have not ended well.The most recent major example of this is the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.”CR7″ made a triumphant return to Man Utd after shock transfer links emerged suggesting he was set to move to Man City.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSUnited moved swiftly to prevent a shock move of the legendary figure to their rivals, and while Ronaldo personally had a good goalscoring season, his arrival severely hindered the overall system of the team and stopped the club from moving for other, more urgently needed, targets.Ronaldo is not the only case of United moving to one-up City, only for the Red Devils to be bitten on the bottom by the deals not working out as well as hoped.Ruud van Nistelrooy hints he wants to stay at Man Utd in plea to Ruben Amorim as interim vows to ‘serve’ clubHarry Maguire and Fred were both linked with City before arriving at Old Trafford.Former academy stars for United and City respectively in Paul Pogba and Jadon Sancho had reportedly drawn from the Etihad outfit before they completed moves to the red side of Manchester. Pogba and Sancho signed for United for £89m and £73m respectively with big hopes behind them being able to lead the club to glory.However, Pogba’s time at Old Trafford did not go to plan with inconsistent performances, while Sancho had an almighty fallout with Ten Hag after a disappointing two seasons before being froze out in his third.Alexis Sanchez is arguably the biggest case of United falling foul of City transfer trickery.Then-Arsenal star Sanchez was known to be pushing for a move away from the Gunners. City were the most heavily-linked club, but like in the aforementioned cases, United made a late move for the attacker, eventually completing a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan go the other way.However, Sanchez bombed at Old Trafford and drained huge resources, with his financial impact working out at a staggering £505,000-a-week, and £11.9m paid for each goal scored.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe consistent red herring results could be a cause for concern given how Amorim had been linked with City in the past. However, a new era could signal a new result. Only time will tell.Ruben Amorim leaves Sporting on a highBy Charlie WyettRUBEN AMORIM would have preferred to leave Lisbon in a blaze of glory after winning a third Primeira Liga title.Yet football does not work like that. And in what was surely his final game before taking charge of Manchester United, Amorim prepared to say his goodbyes at a half-empty Estadio Jose Alvalade in a League Cup quarter-final against Nacional.Sporting won 3-1 thanks to  second-half goals by captain  Morten Hjulmand and Viktor Gyokeres, who scored two.Luis Esteves pulled back for Madeira-based Nacional.The stadium  will be a good deal more lively on Tuesday when Manchester City are here for  a Champions League match — although Amorim should by then have his feet firmly under his desk at Old Trafford.Liverpool and Aston Villa were both interested in Europe’s most sought-after coach. Even City could have been a possible destination post-Pep Guardiola.Yet the United job is one Amorim, 39,  could not turn  down — even if not everyone saw it that way at Sporting last night.There is clearly a huge split in the Portuguese club’s fan base over their coach leaving at this stage of the season with many believing he should have seen the job through.Yet Amorim, along with the three-man coaching team who are expected to follow him, leaves a club in a much better state than when he arrived here in 2020.Inside the stadium, there was applause — albeit muted — when his name was read out before the game along with the line-ups.And there did not appear to be any jeers when Amorim shuffled out from the tunnel awkwardly towards the dugout.So, while his departure is hard to take for some, none of the fans will forget his legacy.This is a club which is back as the dominant force in Portugal. Even this term, Sporting have won their first nine league games, scoring 30 goals and conceding just two.They are also eighth in the Champions League table, which is one hell of an effort.In contrast, Lisbon was not exactly hit by League Cup fever last night.Amorim made lots of changes, which saw Sporting’s star man Gyokeres, the former Coventry striker, start on the bench.There was, however, a first appearance in six weeks for former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards. He is certainly one player who has been transformed by Amorim since arriving at the club from Vitoria in 2022 and will be sorry to see the coach leave.While he changed his team, Amorim stuck with his tried and trusted formation of a back three.It will certainly be something Manchester United’s fans will have to get used to over the  coming months.But looking at the Premier League table, none of them will be complaining about the change. More