Man Utd close on Ruben Amorim appointment

Sporting CP have confirmed Manchester United have voiced a desire to pay €10m to trigger the release clause of manager Ruben Amorim following the departure of Erik ten Hag.

The Red Devils dismissed Ten Hag on Monday after their latest defeat to West Ham United on Sunday and quickly got to work identifying their sixth permanent managerial appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013.

While still some way from an official appointment, Sporting have confirmed United have shown an intention to pay his release clause.

A legal filing reads: "SPORTING CLUBE DE PORTUGAL – FUTEBOL, SAD (hereinafter also known as Sporting SAD or Society) comes, under the terms and for the purposes of fulfilling the obligation to inform which arises from the provisions of article 17 of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014, of the Parliament European Union and the Council of April 16, inform the market in the following terms.

"1. Manchester United FC expressed interest in hiring coach Ruben Amorim, with the Board of Directors of Sporting SAD forwarding the terms and conditions set out in the current employment contract between the Company and the coach, specifically for the respective termination clause and for the amount of Euro 10,000,000.00.

"2. Manchester United FC expressed interest in paying Sporting SAD the value of the said clause."

Amorim was cagey when asked about United's interest, replying: "I was already expecting this question [about Man Utd] 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."

It's now expected that Amorim will take charge of his final Sporting game on Monday night when they take on Nacional in Portugal's League Cup.

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