Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes that Ruben Amorim has the 'conditions' to coach any club in any league amidst reports linking the Sporting Lisbon boss with the Old Trafford vacancy.
The Red Devils are on the lookout for a new permanent manager after deciding to relieve Erik ten Hag of his duties on Monday.
Ten Hag only signed a new two-year contract in July, but the Dutchman has now departed following a poor run of just four wins in his opening 14 games across all competitions this season, with last weekend's 2-1 defeat away against West Ham United in the Premier League proving to be the final nail in his coffin.
The 54-year-old departs Old Trafford after two-and-a-half years in charge and leaves the Red Devils sitting 14th in the Premier League table and also 21st in the 36-team Europa League standings
Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is believed to be reluctant to succeed Ten Hag on a permanent basis, has been placed in interim charge "while a permanent head coach is recruited" by Man United.
© Imago
Amorim's rise has alerted Premier League clubs
It appears increasingly likely that the man to succeed Ten Hag at Man United is highly-rated Sporting boss Amorim, who has allegedly agreed in principle to take the reins at Old Trafford.
At the age of just 39, Amorim has already had plenty of success in his native Portugal during a four-and-a-half-year spell in charge of Sporting, winning an impressive 71.73% of his 237 matches.
Amorim has also won five trophies with Sporting, including the 2020-21 and 2023-24 Primeira Liga titles and has subsequently been linked on numerous occasions with a move to England.
The likes of Liverpool and West Ham were credited with an interest in Amorim in the summer, while Manchester City have also been linked with the young coach, but he now looks set to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Mourinho, who managed Man United between May 2016 and December 2018.
Amorim served an internship under Mourinho at Man United back in 2018, which took place at the start of his coaching career shortly before taking charge of lower-league outfit Casa Pia in the same year.
Back in 2018, Sporting manager Ruben Amorim completed a performance internship under José Mourinho at Man United.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 28, 2024
He's now rumoured to be Erik ten Hag's replacement at Old Trafford 🧠 pic.twitter.com/znWSqmaW3B
Mourinho: 'Amorim is able to coach any club'
Mourinho, who is now in charge of Turkish giants Fenerbahce, has since talked up the qualities of Amorim and stated in May that the Sporting boss is capable of managing any club in any league in world football.
"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, who has a contract at Sporting until 2026, refused to be drawn on speculation linking him with the Man United job when questioned by reporters on Monday, shortly after Ten Hag's dismissal was confirmed.
Oliver Thomas
