Manchester United news: Sacked Ruben Amorim already in frame for new job in Portugal?

Ruben Amorim left the Manchester United bench on Monday January 5, leaving the club in sixth place in the table.

However, his spell at Old Trafford will go down in history rather negatively, primarily due to last season, when he led the Red Devils to a record-low 15th place in the Premier League.

The 40-year-old Portuguese departed after an alleged rift with the club's hierarchy, stemming from disagreements over transfer policy and Amorim's stubborn insistence on the 3-4-2-1 formation. Despite the bitter ending, the manager does not leave empty-handed. Given that he had a valid contract until June 2027, he was paid in full, meaning he pocketed approximately £9.25m.

Mourinho under pressure and door open in Lisbon

Despite Amorim walking away with a hefty severance package, the media are already linking him with an almost immediate return to the dugout, at one of Europe's biggest clubs.

According to talkSPORT, he is a serious candidate for the head coach position at Benfica. Current boss Jose Mourinho finds himself under considerable pressure at the Estadio da Luz.

Mourinho, who only signed a two-year contract in September, has led the team to 14 wins from 22 matches, but that is not enough in the Portuguese league. Benfica currently sit in third place and, after 17 matchdays, trail leaders Porto by a staggering 10 points.

The Special One's contractual situation also plays into the situation. The former Chelsea manager reportedly has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave in the summer.

The Guardian previously revealed that this clause allows either the club or Mourinho to terminate the collaboration within ten days after the last match of the current season. This opens the door to speculation about a summer reshuffle on the Lisbon giants' bench.

A matter of the heart despite rivalry

Linking Amorim with Benfica makes sense despite his recent successful era at arch-rivals Sporting Lisbon, with whom he won two league titles and two cups.

Amorim has a deep connection to Benfica from his playing career. He spent nine years at the club between 2008 and 2017, making 154 appearances. The manager himself, even while in charge of Sporting, maintained the rhetoric that Benfica is still the club in his heart.

Indeed, Joao Noronha Lopes, who was a candidate for Benfica president in September, declared at the time that Amorim would one day become manager of the club.

Even though his mission at Manchester United ended in failure, in his native Portugal Amorim still has a reputation as a top-class tactician with a proven track record, making him an ideal candidate to revive the Eagles should Mourinho indeed depart.

This article was originally published on T rivela.