Ruben Amorim has been given the seal of approval from Jose Mourinho as he inches closer to being appointing Manchester United boss. The Red Devils are in advanced talks with the Sporting manager and could confirm him as Erik ten Hag's successor before Sunday's clash with Chelsea at Old Trafford. Amorim , 39, is one of the most highly-rated young managers in Europe and has overseen a period of immense success since taking over at Sporting in 2020, having clinched two of the club's four Primeira Liga titles since 1982.
He turned heads in England after knocking Arsenal out of the Europa League in March 2023, prompting suggestions he might be the next Mourinho, who famously dumped United out of the Champions League in his breakthrough campaign with Porto two decades ago. After the game, Amorim distanced himself from the comparisons, but revealed that Mourinho had in fact sent him a stirring text message to congratulate him. "Mourinho is one of a kind," he told reporters in his post-match press conference.
"He's already texted me, [saying]: 'The old and the new [Mourinho] are still in, I'll see you in the next stage!'...
[Am I] the new Mourinho? There will never be a new Mourinho." The Special One's gesture demonstrates the high regard in which he holds Amorim, which will be music to the ears of United supporters. The then- Roma boss ended up taking his team all the way to the final, where they lost on penalties to Sevilla .
Amorim's Sporting, meanwhile, failed to capitalise on th.