Cristiano Ronaldo. Nani. Bruno Fernandes. Ruben Amorim? Sporting Lisbon's best exports often arrive at Manchester United and the two clubs are currently negotiating a compensation package that would see Amorim become the sixth permanent manager of United in the last 11 years.
Sporting took a punt on Amorim in 2020, paying €10million to hire Amorim, along with his assistants Adelio Candido and Carlos Fernandes, from Braga, despite him only having a few months of experience managing in the Portuguese top-flight, but they spotted something.
The club was in the doldrums when Amorim was appointed and yet he won the Liga Nos title in his first season in charge, leading Sporting to their first league triumph in 19 years. ALSO READ: Some academy staff had niggling doubts about Ten Hag ALSO READ: Ruben Amorim agrees to become United manager United have not won the Premier League for 11 years and supporters are hoping Amorim can become the first manager in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to clinch league glory, providing that talks between United and Sporting over a compensation package go smoothly this week.
Something that seems almost guaranteed to be discussed is how much it will cost to take Sporting first-team coaches Fernandes, 29, and Candido, 28, to United as Amorim was supported by that pair at Braga and they have played a crucial role in his success at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.