Ruben Amorim has not held talks with Benfica and has no desire to return to management in Portugal, his representatives have confirmed.
The 41-year-old has been biding his time for a potential opening in one of Europe’s top five leagues having been dismissed by Manchester United back in early January.
It proved a miserable end to Amorim’s 14-month spell in charge at Old Trafford, which had promised so much but fell desperately short of expectations, culminating in a series of outbursts directed at the hierarchy.
Amorim’s flat-out refusal to deviate from his favoured 3-4-3 formation became a major bone of contention amongst United’s fanbase and key decision-makers, and a run of just one victory in eight games was the final straw.
Love football?
Our seven-day guide to the World Cup is live. 48 teams, 104 games, 1104 players – we've got everything you need to know. Sign up now.
The club’s resurgence since Amorim’s departure has only intensified questions about the Portuguese’s elite-level credentials, with the Red Devils winning 11 from their last 16 matches under interim boss Michael Carrick.
However, despite his ties to Sporting, there has been mounting speculation in Amorim’s homeland that he could be set to take over the reins from Jose Mourinho at Benfica when the latter returns to Real Madrid.
Mourinho has reportedly agreed a two-year contract at the Bernabeu – 13 years after his initial stint came to an end – and a recent report from Correio da Manha claimed Benfica president Rui Costa has taken over negotiations to convince his fellow countryman to succeed the Special One in Lisbon.
But in response to these rumours, the AS1 agency, who represent Amorim, stated: ‘Ruben Amorim made the decision a long time ago to pursue his career abroad.
‘Therefore, he has not met with any Portuguese clubs to discuss working conditions, structure, the squad, salary, or anything else.
‘Anything said beyond this is mere speculation and does not correspond to reality.’
Amorim reportedly received a £12million payout when he was sacked by United at the turn of the year and has kept a relatively low profile in the intervening months.
According to The Sun, Fulham head coach Marco Silva has emerged as the clear frontrunner to become Benfica boss, even striking an agreement in principle to replace Mourinho at the helm.
Much like Amorim, Silva managed Sporting before being attracted to the bright lights of English football in 2017, via a brief spell in charge of Olympiakos.
Silva was appointed by Fulham in July 2021 and went on to steer the club back into the Premier League – after a one-year absence – where they have remained ever since.
Facing the media earlier this week, Benfica president Rui Costa was unable to provide any assurances over Mourinho’s future beyond the end of the season.
‘Jose Mourinho is Benfica’s coach until proven otherwise,’ the former AC Milan and Portugal midfielder told reporters.
‘It’s up to Mourinho to decide.
‘As for everything else, I’ll speak with the Benfica fans this week to take stock of the season.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
