Man United target Rúben Amorim promises a decision after his Sporting Lisbon play on Friday

LISBON, Portugal (AP) – Manchester United goals Reuben Amorim has promised to clarify his future coaching plans after his Sporting Lisbon side play a Portuguese league game on Friday night.

Amorim was speaking at a press conference on Thursday ahead of league leaders Sporting against Estrela da Amadora. Sporting have started their title defense with nine straight wins.

“After the game tomorrow we will have the decision made,” Amorim said. “It will be very clear, so it’s one more day.”

The 39-year-old coach’s growing reputation and two Portuguese league titles in four seasons attracted Man United, who fired Erik ten Hag Monday with the team 14th in the English Premier League.

Sporting’s statement to the Lisbon stock exchange said United were interested in paying the release clause in Amorim’s contract worth 10 million euros ($10.8 million).

“It is a negotiation between two clubs,” Amorim said on Thursday. “It’s never easy. Even with the clauses, it’s never easy, they have to talk.”

Reports in the English and Portuguese media suggest that Amorim will move to Manchester in the next international break. That would make his first Man United game on November 24 at Ipswich.

One of Amorim’s likely final games with Sporting is hosting Manchester City on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Amorim had been linked with a move to Man City, where Pep Guardiola has not publicly committed to renewing a contract that expires at the end of the season. Man City’s next director of football, Hugo Viana, will join from Sporting after this season.

Man United was led by interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy on Wednesday and beat Leicester 5-2 in the English League Cup.

Van Nistelrooy, a former Man United star striker who returned in the off-season to assist his Dutch compatriot Ten Hag, looks set to coach the team for three more home games: Chelsea visit the Premier League on Sunday, then PAOK in the Europa League, and Leicester again in the Premier League on 10 November.

Van Nistelrooy said on Thursday that it had been well communicated that his new role would only be temporary.

“I was happy about it,” he said at a press conference ahead of Sunday’s game. “I felt that I was called upon to help the club forward in the situation, and it was of course difficult that Erik had to leave.”

Van Nistelrooy, who is under contract as an assistant through next season, said “you have to change and (adopt) the mindset to win because at the end of the day, 75,000 people are waiting and celebrating and millions are watching at home.

“I think that’s what we’re trying to do,” he continued, “and the same for Sunday at least, and then we’ll have to look at that.”

___

AP football: