Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim insists his future has yet to be decided, despite Manchester United confirming they are willing to pay the £8.3million (€10million) termination clause in his contract.
United have quickly settled on Amorim as their number-one choice to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked on Monday after Sunday's 2-1 defeat at West Ham left his side 14th in the Premier League.
However, speaking after Sporting's Portuguese League Cup win over Nacional on Tuesday evening, Amorim told reporters: "Nothing is decided yet. I don't know if it's the farewell game or not."
In his post-match press conference, Amorim added: "We have to wait a little bit more to explain everything I need to explain and then everything will be very clear.
"It's my decision. I will tell everything so we have to wait. That's it."
Asked if he will be in the dugout at Old Trafford for Sunday's game against Chelsea, Amorim initially replied: "I will be here." Pressed if that would definitely be the case, he added: "I don't know."
In a statement to Portugal's financial regulator, the CMVM, earlier on Tuesday, Sporting gave notice to investors of the approach from United and signalled an expectation that a deal is likely to be completed.
"Manchester United FC has expressed an interest in hiring coach Ruben Amorim, with the board of directors of Sporting SAD referring to the terms and conditions set out in the employment contract in force between the company and the coach, specifically the respective termination clause and the amount of €10million," the statement said.
"Manchester United FC has expressed an interest in paying Sporting SAD the amount of the aforementioned clause."
Sporting beat Nacional 3-1 in the Taca da Liga, a match widely expected to be Amorim's last in charge.
Amorim has won two Portuguese titles and two League Cups with Sporting since joining the club in March 2020.
The 39-year-old has recently been suggested as a possible successor to Pep Guardiola given his links with Manchester City's incoming director of football Hugo Viana, although the Premier League champions have downplayed those rumours as mere speculation.
When asked if Amorim has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League, Guardiola said: "All I can talk about is the experience of playing twice against Ruben's Sporting Lisbon team, one or two seasons ago, and the pressure was really, really good.
"I spoke with Matheus Nunes, and he was his player, and he speaks highly about him. And look this season, he is unbeaten and winning all the games in the Portuguese League and the Champions League, (they have) the same points as us.
"So a high manager. I have the feeling that Man United, what I hear, that they are thinking about him, it’s because he’s a good manager. Man United don’t appoint managers who aren’t at that level so we cannot say they are not able to lead Man United."
Amorim took over at Sporting in early 2020. The former Portugal international began his coaching career at third division Casa Pia in 2018 before moving to Braga. City manager Guardiola dismissed any suggestion he does not have enough experience.
"Why is it a problem?" he said. "I started at Barcelona, 37-years-old, coming into (from) fourth division. So knowledge is knowledge. If you are able, it doesn't matter.
"For that reason, Lamine Yamal could not play football at 17-years-old, right? So you have to wait until he’s 24. What’s important is talent. If you are good, it doesn’t matter the age."
United's controversial 2-1 defeat at West Ham, in which Jarrod Bowen's disputed late penalty proved decisive, was the final straw for Ten Hag. Speculation over the Dutchman's future had regained intensity in recent weeks after the 54-year-old remained in the role at the end of last season.
A club statement shortly before noon on Monday read: "Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men's first-team manager. Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
"We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future."
Ruud van Nistelrooy has been put in interim charge ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie at home to Leicester.
Writing in United's match programme ahead of the tie Van Nistelrooy said he was "saddened" by Ten Hag’s departure and said it was "a great honour to manage the club I love for however long I am asked to do so".
Ten Hag survived a summer review at United, buoyed by having beaten Manchester City to lift the FA Cup in May, but after only three wins from nine league games the club have swiftly had a rethink.
The club had wanted to give Ten Hag the chance to work within a new sporting structure put in place over the summer, but results and performances have forced their hand.
It is understood the club's hierarchy had not seen enough progress in Ten Hag's side to believe they were on the right path to challenge again for the Premier League title.
After replacing interim manager Ralf Rangnick, Ten Hag ended the club's six-year wait for a major trophy in his first season when his side beat Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
The former Ajax boss also led United to a third-placed top-flight finish but his second season saw them knocked out of the Champions League group phase before finishing eighth in the Premier League.
Despite rampant speculation that he would be sacked in the summer, the club opted to trigger a contract extension until 2026 after carrying out an extensive review.
Ten Hag, United's fifth permanent head coach since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, had led Ajax to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-finals and also won the league and cup double with them in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
Watch Derry City v Shelbourne in the League of Ireland on Friday from 7.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Shamrock Rovers v Waterford is also live on the RTÉ News channel and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.
