Five players Ruben Amorim could sign for Man Utd

Tom Weber

• 1 Nov 2024 12:08 GMT
• 5 min read

There are several Sporting CP players Ruben Amorim could sign for Manchester United.

The Portuguese tactician will officially replace Erik ten Hag and interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy in the Man Utd dugout on November 11, with the Red Devils moving quickly to replace their sacked Dutch manager.

Unlike Ten Hag, Amorim will bear the title of head coach, illustrating the new structure and hierarchy at Man Utd under INEOS. FootballTransfers previously reported that CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth are now calling the shots on signings rather than the manager and this is reflected in the 39-year-old's title.

READ MORE: Man Utd get €10m discount on Ruben Amorim

Nevertheless, it will still be a cooperative process and Amorim will, if he gets the job, have a major say in who arrives and who doesn't. Ashworth himself has admitted that it is only 'natural' for a coach to want to work with players he knows, so it is likely that Man Utd could look to sign Sporting CP talent in the future.

Below, FootballTransfers looks at five Sporting CP stars Man Utd could sign under Amorim...

Goncalo Inacio (23, centre-back)

Man Utd's big problem in recent years has been the defence. This season, it has been a slightly different story, with the backline looking more solid and the attacking floundering, but it was somewhat ironic that it was centre-back Matthijs de Ligt who essentially got Ten Hag sacked by giving away a last-minute penalty against West Ham.

De Ligt and Leny Yoro arrived ahead of the news season, but with uncertainty looming over Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans, it is likely that Man Utd will have to dip into the market for at least one new centre-back next year.

Therefore, it will only be a matter of time before links to Goncalo Inacio resurface, with the Sporting centre-back a player Man Utd (and Liverpool) have been scouting for some time.

The left-footer is a 12-time senior Portugal international and one of the most highly-rated defenders in the domestic league. The 23-year-old has a €60 million release clause.

Ousmane Diomande (20, centre-back)

Another option for the Red Devils could be Inacio's partner in crime Ousmane Diomande, himself a very highly-rated young defender. The 20-year-old Ivorian has been on the radar of Europe's elite for years and looks set to make a big move before long.

Diomande is right-footed and three years Inacio's junior and, therefore, also a bit more pricey. The defender has an €80m release clause and has been repeatedly linked with Arsenal and Chelsea over the past 18 months.

Morten Hjulmand (25, defensive midfielder)

Moving a bit up the pitch, Morten Hjulmand will certainly be on Man Utd's radar going forward. In fact, he has been on their radar for at least 12 months.

The Denmark international, a boyhood Arsenal fan with the Gunners' crest tattooed on his left arm, has been exceptional in defensive midfield for Sporting since joining from Lecce.

With Casemiro and Christian Eriksen potentially departing Old Trafford next summer, Man Utd want to sign at least two new midfielders in 2025. Hjulmand, too, boasts an €80m release clause.

According to his new national team boss Brian Riemer, it is only a matter of time before he signs for one of the Premier League's biggest clubs.

READ MORE: What next for Erik ten Hag after Man Utd sacking?

Geovany Quenda (17, right-winger)

Antony has been a major flop at Old Trafford and Amorim will go down in history as a miracle worker if he can turn the Brazilian's fortunes around. This seems unlikely, however, so Man Utd will be in the market for a right-winger next year.

Unsurprisingly, then, links to Sporting wonderkid Geovany Quenda have proliferated in recent weeks. Cristiano Ronaldo's 'little brother' has burst onto the scene this term, becoming a regular under Amorim at just 17.

He turns 18 next April, meaning that he would be able to move to Man Utd in the summer, but a major problem is his €100m release clause. Nevertheless, Portuguese media insists that Man Utd's club bosses - not Ten Hag - have made contact with the teenager.

Viktor Gyokeres (26, centre-forward)

You can't make a list about Sporting CP players and not mention Viktor Gyokeres. The Swedish sharpshooter has been nothing short of sensational since arriving from Coventry in 2023.

Linked with Arsenal, Sky Germany recently revealed that Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City were all keeping tabs on him. Intriguingly, Man Utd were not mentioned, but this is surely bound to change once Amorim takes the reins.

The two have a brilliant relationship and Gyokeres' agent admitted in the summer that it would be difficult for the 26-year-old to stay should his coach leave the club.

Moreover, the above-mentioned report also asserted that Sporting have a 'pact' with Gyokeres, allowing him to move for €60m-€70m next summer rather than for €100m as stipulated by his release clause.