Ruben Amorim’s ‘Next Job’ Could See Sacked Ex-Man Utd Boss Cross Fierce City Divide

Ruben Amorim’s route back into management may run straight through the heart of one of European football’s most volatile rivalries. Less than four months after Manchester United dismissed the 41-year-old following a bruising 14-month tenure at Old Trafford, ESPN reports that the Portuguese coach has emerged as the leading candidate to succeed José Mourinho at Benfica—an audacious move that would see him cross the Lisbon divide from his former club, Sporting CP.

Amorim, out of work since United swung the axe in early January, has seen his reputation dented by the Premier League setback. Once hailed as the continent’s next tactical prodigy after steering Sporting to two Primeira Liga titles and laying the groundwork for a third, he now faces the task of rebuilding his career away from Europe’s top tier. Sources close to the Estádio da Luz hierarchy insist that his nine-year playing spell with Benfica still resonates strongly inside the boardroom, outweighing the baggage of his Sporting success.

The vacancy is expected to arise once Mourinho, currently in charge at Benfica, accepts the anticipated offer to manage Portugal after this summer’s World Cup. That timeline would open the door for Amorim to return to familiar territory, both geographically and professionally, and attempt to rekindle the formula that transformed Sporting from nearly two decades without a league crown into serial contenders.

Yet questions linger over the tactical rigidity that undermined his time in England. An unwavering commitment to a 3-4-2-1 shape was cited by United insiders as a key factor in the team’s stagnation; the squad’s subsequent upturn under interim boss Michael Carrick—who has reverted to a 4-2-3-1 and collected four wins and a draw from five matches—has only amplified the scrutiny on Amorim’s adaptability. Carrick’s victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham, tempered only by a 1-1 stalemate with West Ham, have placed him in pole position to earn the permanent role at Old Trafford, with United hierarchy said to be in “no rush” to look elsewhere. Should the club opt for a fresh face, ESPN notes that internationally employed former Chelsea managers Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti remain on the radar.

For Amorim, a return to Portugal offers the dual lure of redemption and familiarity. Reclaiming success at Benfica would not only restore lustre to a CV tarnished by Premier League failure but also add a dramatic narrative twist: the former Sporting idol conquering new ground in enemy territory. The Lisbon derby has never lacked spice; appointing the architect of Sporting’s recent dominance would ensure the next chapter is incendiary.

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