When Ruben Amorim was first linked with a move to Manchester United back in 2021, the sought-after Portuguese coach ironically recommended the man that he is now poised to replace – Erik ten Hag.

Amorim’s managerial ascent has been rapid. The former Benfica midfielder was coaching in Portugal’s third tier as recently as 2019, before moving to top-flight Braga at the end of that same year. Sporting triggered Amorim’s expensive release clause in March 2020 and by the end of the 2020/21 campaign he had steered the club to their first league title in 19 years.

Just months after that seismic triumph, Amorim was attracting interest from several members of Europe’s elite – including Manchester United. The Premier League outfit sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November 2021 and went in search of a permanent, proven head coach.

But, Amorim stressed his desire to stay at Sporting. In a bid to deflect the unwanted attention, the prodigious coach put another manager forward.

“If you allow my opinion, I think Manchester United should take Ten Hag this week, it was something that would make me very happy,” Amorim told assembled media, as quoted by A Bola, before Sporting faced Borussia Dortmund in a Champions League tie.

Amorim had been treated to Ten Hag’s tactical prowess earlier that season. The Dutchman’s Ajax side travelled to Lisbon in September 2021 and battered the hosts 5-1. Sebastien Haller scored twice in the opening ten minutes before Sporting’s Paulinho halved the deficit. Steven Berghuis added another in the first half before Haller completed a second-half brace.

After the match, Amorim conceded that his Portuguese champions were “inexperienced” in European competition. Ten Hag had led Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals the season before and beamed: “Sporting were on their heels. That was a joy to watch.”

Ten Hag didn’t move to Old Trafford until the following summer, forcing United to turn to Ralf Rangnick as an interim coach. After sacking Ten Hag earlier this week, United are keen on getting a permanent coach in as quickly as possible, closing in on Amorim who has a €10m (£8.3m) release clause in his Sporting contract.

READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP