Sporting CP’s Manager in the Spotlight Amidst Link to Manchester City and Manchester United
Sporting CP’s president, Frederico Varandas, has welcomed the increasing attention surrounding manager Ruben Amorim as a testament to the manager’s success and prestige. Amorim, who has been at the helm of the Portuguese club for five years, has won two league titles and has been sought after by top clubs, including Manchester City and Manchester United.
For Varandas, the rumors surrounding Amorim’s potential departure are a badge of honor. “When am I going to lose Ruben Amorim?” he asked in an interview. “I’ve been hearing this question for over four years, which for me, and I think this should make all Sporting fans and even the entire media proud. It’s questioning how one of the best coaches in the world has been at Sporting for five years, that’s what’s fantastic.”
Manchester City, which has been seeking alternatives to Pep Guardiola if he doesn’t extend his contract beyond this season, has been strongly linked to Amorim. Manchester United has also made contact with the coach as an alternative to the under-pressure Erik ten Hag.
While Amorim’s future remains uncertain, Sporting has lost its transfer specialist, Hugo Viana, to Manchester City, where he will replace the outgoing Txiki Begiristain. Amorim’s contract with Sporting runs until 2026, and the club’s new director of football will replace Begiristain at the end of the season.
Varandas believes that the club is well-equipped to adapt to any changes, stating, “Our role as administrators is to be living in the future and when I am living in the future, I have been prepared for several years so that, if that piece comes out, what piece will come in. Today, the three of us [Varandas, Viana, and Amorim] have a friendly relationship.”
Sporting’s success under Amorim has been marked by the club’s first top-flight league title in 18 years and another league title last season, despite the sale of captain Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United. Fernandes has publicly praised Amorim and believes he would succeed in England.
