Manchester United locked in talks with Sporting CP over Ruben Amorim's start date; manager has notice period of 'few weeks': Reports

Manchester United are reportedly in talks with Sporting CP for their boss Ruben Amorim to take over at Old Trafford. The Red Devils sacked Erik ten Hag this weekend after a poor start to the season.

The straw that broke the camel's back was the 2-1 Premier League defeat at West Ham United at the weekend, which slumped the Red Devils to 14th in the standings after nine games, having won just thrice.

United have hardly fared better in Europe, drawing their opening three UEFA Europa League games: a 1-1 home draw with FC Twente, a 3-3 stalemate at FC Porto and a 1-1 draw at Fenerbahce last week. They did win their opening EFL Cup game 7-0 against Barrow, but Ten Hag won't be around for the fourth-round clash at home to Leicester City on Wednesday (October 30).

With the Red Devils hierarchy identifying Amorim as one of the options, Mail Sport's sports news correspondent Mike Keegan has tweeted that the Sporting CP boss' notice period is a few 'weeks' and not 'days'.

Keegan has also reported that the two sides are in talks for Amorim's start date, having agreed to meet his release fee of £8.3 million with Sporting. In case an agreement isn't reached early, Amorim could take charge against Ipswich Town on November 24 in the Premier League after the international break.

Amorim, 39, is one of the best young managers in the game currently, with the Portuguese winning two Primeira Liga and three other titles with Sporting CP.

In case he doesn't arrive before the aforementioned Ipswich game, interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will oversee the EFL Cup clash with Leicester (October 30) and the Premier League clashes with Chelsea (November 3) and the Foxes (November 10).

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Sporting CP affirm Manchester United interest in Ruben Amorim

Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim

Sporting CP have said that Manchester United have approached them for appointing their current boss Ruben Amorim as their next manager after sacking Ten Hag.

The Primeira Liga leaders told the CMVM, Portugal's financial regulator (as per BBC Sport) in a statement that United are ready to pay his release clause of €10 million:

"Manchester United have expressed their interest in recruiting coach Ruben Amorim and have said they are ready to pay the 10 million euro release clause."

Amorim is expected to oversee Sporting''s next game with Nacional in the Portuguese League Cup, where they lost to FC Porto on penalties in the final last year.