In a dramatic twist that has sent shockwaves through the football world, Manchester United have abruptly ended their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim, with the club's new hierarchy performing a stunning U-turn on Erik ten Hag's future.
INEOS Executes Stunning Reversal
The Mirror can exclusively reveal that United's interest in the highly-rated Portuguese coach has completely evaporated after INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, conducted a thorough end-of-season review that has resulted in renewed faith in current boss Ten Hag.
This represents a monumental shift in strategy at Old Trafford, where just weeks ago Amorim was being seriously considered as a potential replacement for the Dutch manager following a challenging Premier League campaign.
Amorim's Missed Manchester Move
The 39-year-old Sporting boss, who has guided his team to their second league title in four years, had emerged as the leading candidate to take over at United should they decide to part ways with Ten Hag. However, our sources confirm that all contact and negotiations have now been terminated.
This development comes as a significant blow to Amorim, who had been widely expected to make the move to English football this summer. The charismatic manager had even travelled to England for preliminary discussions about the role, making this sudden collapse particularly surprising.
Ten Hag's Remarkable Reprieve
Despite widespread speculation about his imminent departure following United's eighth-place Premier League finish - their worst in the Premier League era - Ten Hag now appears set to continue his project at Old Trafford.
The decision represents a remarkable vote of confidence in the former Ajax manager, who delivered the FA Cup in spectacular fashion with a victory over rivals Manchester City at Wembley. This trophy-winning conclusion to the season ultimately proved decisive in convincing INEOS to stick with their current manager.
What This Means for United's Future
The dramatic turnaround signals several key developments at Manchester United:
- Stability over change: INEOS has opted for continuity rather than embarking on another managerial search
- FA Cup glory proves decisive: Ten Hag's Wembley triumph ultimately saved his job
- New transfer strategy: The club can now focus fully on summer recruitment without managerial uncertainty
- Amorim's future: The Portuguese manager must reconsider his options after the United door closed
This stunning development ends months of speculation about Ten Hag's future and provides clarity as United prepare for a crucial summer transfer window under their new ownership structure.
