Mourinho 'encouraged Amorim to take up the Man United job'

Jose Mourinho encouraged Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim to take the Manchester United job.

The current Fenerbahce manager and former United boss has served as a mentor to Amorim, after the Sporting coach completed an internship at Mourinho's High Performance Football Coaching course, back in 2018.

And Mourinho was the first person Amorim turned to, when approached about the manager's position at Man United, according to the Sun.

Amorim is hotly tipped to be the next boss at Old Trafford with Sporting saying the Manchester club have triggered their manager's £8.5million (€10m) release clause.

But it is also understood that Amorim wants to delay his move to England until after Sporting play Manchester City in the Champions League in Lisbon, next Tuesday.

Mourinho said: 'I think he has the conditions to be able to coach in any league and he has the conditions to be able to coach in any club.'

Amorim has previously referred to Mourinho as a 'reference point' and said of him: 'Mourinho is one of a kind. There won't be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.'

The Portuguese coach's next match is at home on Friday to Estrela, and as discussion over his move rolls on tt seems certain that interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will therefore be in charge for the visit of Chelsea to Old Trafford on Sunday.

United have agreed to pay Amorim's £8.5million release clause, but the club want a further £4.1million for him to take his Sporting backroom staff with him.

The sticking point, however, is that Sporting are looking to promote his assistant Carlos Fernandez to Amorim's post despite him being only 29.

While there are reports that Sporting will hold Amorim to a 30-day notice period the coach is convinced he will be at Old Trafford next week.