Man Utd in talks and 'working on deal' to appoint new head coach

Manchester United are in talks with Sporting CP as they seek to appoint Ruben Amorim as their new head coach, according to reports.

The Red Devils appear to be moving quickly after sacking Erik ten Hag on Monday morning in the aftermath of the 2-1 defeat at West Ham United. The loss was United's fourth in nine Premier League games and leaves them 14th in the table, seven points adrift of the Champions League qualification places.

Things haven't been any better for United in Europe, with clashes against Fenerbahce, FC Twente and Porto all ending in draws. All of those indifferent results, in addition to some worrying defensive performances, led United to terminating Ten Hag just months after they extended his contract by another year.

Julian Nagelsmann, Xavi, Gareth Southgate and interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy have all been mentioned as potential long-term successors to Ten Hag, but it's Sporting CP boss Amorim who the club have made the first move for.

The Athletic report that United have opened talks with their Portuguese counterparts over a deal for Amorim and are willing to pay the €10m (£8.3m) release clause written into his contract.

Amorim is widely regarded as one of Europe's brightest young coaching prospects and was strongly linked with succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool prior to the arrival of Arne Slot. He also met with West Ham United over their vacant manager's job before apologising for what he described as a 'mistake he will have to live with'.

It's believed that Amorim is open to succeeding Ten Hag at United, two-and-a-half years after the Dutchman took on the Old Trafford role looking to turn around the Red Devils' ailing fortunes.

Ten Hag's first season at United was extremely promising, delivering Carabao Cup success and a third-place Premier League finish, but 2023/24 was far more difficult as the club battled injury problems, questionable judgment in the transfer market and a severe dip in confidence.

United ended up beating rivals Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final but not before they had recorded their worst-ever Premier League finish - a dismal eighth-place showing that saw them defeated 14 times.

2024/25 has been no better, despite INEOS backing Ten Hag with an extended deal and a host of new signings, and he's paid the price for continued underperformance. Amorim's Sporting, meanwhile, are top of their domestic league after winning all nine of their matches. They have scored a whopping 30 goals in that time - 12 of them going to star striker Viktor Gyokeres - and have conceded just two.

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