Ruben Amorim can help Sir Jim Ratcliffe make good on Manchester United promise

There isn't a more in-demand manager in world football than Ruben Amorim just now.

Heavily linked with Liverpool last season, wanted by West Ham and impressing in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon, the 39-year-old is seen as one of the brightest and best in the business. So it is no surprise his name is being linked to both Manchester United and Manchester City - two Premier League giants who might need new managers in very different circumstances.

United are seeking a replacement for Erik ten Hag after sacking him on Monday, while the Etihad might welcome a new boss for the first time in nearly a decade if Pep Guardiola doesn't extend his contract past next summer.

READ MORE: 'We won't be bailing him out again' - the untold story of Ten Hag's sacking

READ MORE: 'No excuses' - why United sacked Ten Hag

But it is United who will have the chance to strike first. Installing a young coach making good on his potential could provide the spark Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are looking for.

Amorim is a modern manager capable of playing attractive football, developing young talent, finding untapped gold in the transfer market and yielding results and trophies. It's a mix that makes him hard to ignore for Europe's top clubs.

Tactically he values possession, flexibility in attack and a defensive foundation. Sporting line-up in a 3-4-3 shape with their defensive trio tasked with bringing the ball out from the back and the attacking wing-backs playing high.

An aggressive press when out of possession means they win the ball back quickly and often that offers chances on the turnover. They often attack centrally and in numbers while relying on the wing-backs to offer an alternative outlet, with numbers in the box a mainstay of their