Mariana Fernandes
Portuguese journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's a bargaining position from Sporting. Sporting were not ready to lose Ruben Amorim at this stage of the season. We're in October, Sporting are making a great campaign - nine victories in nine games - so there was a big excitement to see if Sporting and Amorim in particular would achieve this two-time championship that they haven't achieved in 70 years.

Sporting wasn't ready to lose Ruben Amorim in October and I think they are making what they can, legally in sport, to retain him here for as long as they can. Here in Portugal the news says he may stay for three more games so two more weeks and then he can join Manchester United. It's starting to look like here there is not going to be a clean slate here after Amorim leaves.

Image source, Getty Images

Don't even joke about that Mike... I mean, can you imagine?!?!

Mariana Fernandes
Portuguese journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

Ruben Amorim has a really strong idea of what his football teams look like. He knows what he wants, what kind of players he wants to bring, what players he wants alongside him. Sporting didn't have an idea when he came, a project, and he brought one. Right now the B team plays the same way as the A team.

High-pressure attacking football is one of the most obvious characteristics of Amorim's playing style. A back three with two very wide players on the wings, and then a strong midfield and a front three with an offensive reference point, and two players in support with a high-press attack.

They are a very offensive team that only plays to score goals. They are more concerned with scoring goals than conceding one but Amorim is also very preoccupied with his back three and the strength of his defence. I think he is always more keen on winning 4-0 and 5-0 than 2-1.

He doesn't have expectations he knows he can't achieve. If he is going to make this jump to the Premier League to a club with the support, influence and importance of Manchester United, I think he knows he is ready to make this leap.

He has a close relationship with his players, a kind of dad-like manager. There are a few players that have a high value in the European market. I think it will be more of him getting to Manchester United and seeing what kind of flaws he has. [Sporting's former Coventry striker] Viktor Gyokeres could be a target, maybe not in January but in the summer transfer window.

Image source, Getty Images

There's a lot to unpack from those Graeme Souness comments. Firstly, do you agree, and if so, which bits do you agree with?

Is the Manchester United squad that Ruben Amorim would inherit really that bad? Do Ineos 'not really get football'? What do you make of the new board's summer signings? And how do you think the new United boss gets the best out of these players?

Let us know your thoughts via the usual channels listed above.

Graeme Souness told the Up Front podcast:, external "I think the club are at their lowest point in the history of the Premier League, with the lowest quality group of players they've had in that time.

"I look at Manchester United since Ineos came in and it's screaming out to me that they don't really get football. They've now got their so-called footballing people in charge, in Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox, and I can't believe for a minute that they didn't have an input on the players they signed in the summer.

"They brought in Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee. If they think those players are good enough for United, they're wrong.

"They've still allowed £200m to be spent on players like that. They've had one summer at the club and look what they've done with it. That has to fall at Ashworth's door.

"Ruben Amorim's job now is to get the best out of this group of players, in whatever system that may be. He is walking into what is a very difficult job."

Image source, PA Media

Daily Mirror

Finally from today's newspapers, the Mirror leads on the comments of former Liverpool and Scotland midfielder Graeme Souness, who has "slammed Manchester United's co-owners for handing incoming boss Ruben Amorim an impossible job - and claimed they have no idea what they are doing".

We'll bring you those comments in full shortly.

Image source, Daily Mirror

Mariana Fernandes
Portuguese journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

The Sporting fans are obviously heartbroken. There was a very close relationship between Ruben Amorim and Sporting fans. He rebuilt this club from a very poor state - two decades without winning a championship with very poor results.

He rebuilt that and became the face of the project so Sporting fans have a really special place in their hearts for Amorim. They're really disappointed. They didn't expect their manager to leave in October but I think they understand.

The feeling for these next three games - starting today against Estrela - will be very awkward and we saw that earlier in the week in the first days after it became obvious that he would leave for Manchester United. The feeling in the stadium [against Nacional on Tuesday] was really awkward with a lot of silence, less singing and less chanting.

I think it will be very awkward and I think the supporters would prefer him to leave now rather than stay for the three games. It will make it harder to say goodbye to this manager who really is right now the most important manager in Sporting's history.

Image source, EPA

The Sun

Like the Star, today's Sun has also gone with the 'soap opera' theme, and also jokes that it is only just beginning for Ruben Amorim, given the situation he would be stepping into at Manchester United.

Image source, The Sun

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Ruud van Nistelrooy doesn’t know when the moment will come back again.

That moment of being in charge of Manchester United, at Old Trafford, when they win in such thrilling style.

At the final whistle of United’s 5-2 win over Leicester, Van Nistelrooy first shook the hand of vanquished opponent Steve Cooper, then he strode purposefully towards the centre circle, where he shook the hands of the officials, embraced his players and had a particularly appreciative hug with two-goal midfielder Casemiro.

Then he headed to the Stretford End, where two decades ago, Van Nistelrooy celebrated so many of his 150 goals for the club.

As he was walking he turned to acknowledge the rest of the stadium. But once in front of that famous old stand, Van Nistelrooy raised his fists in jubilation. He had delivered on his pre-match demand.

“We want to get a lot of the ball, attack and try to give the fans a good night,” he said on Sky Sports before kick-off.

There will be some who will wish the union was more long lasting and United were not trying to secure the services of Sporting coach Ruben Amorim to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked on Monday.

Simon Stone on what's next for Van Nistelrooy.

Image source, PA Media

Manchester United

Like Ruben Amorim, Ruud van Nistelrooy also spoke to the media on Thursday and said he expects to remain as interim boss for Manchester United's home game with Chelsea on Sunday."I said that it was going to be a short job as an interim," he said. "That was communicated very clearly and I was happy with that. I felt that I was called upon to help the club forward in this situation."On what his United future looks like, he added: "I came here to help the club forward and I'm still very motivated to do so in any capacity. After being an interim manager, I will go back to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next."

The former United striker said his "absolute goal" is to remain at the club under the next permanent manager.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

The Star also mentions Manchester United's interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who spoke to his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of Wednesday's 5-2 EFL Cup triumph over Leicester.

Ferguson and Van Nistelrooy famously fell out in 2006, when the Dutchman clashed with his manager over the merits of the team being put together - and which would eventually win three Premier League titles in a row and the Champions League in 2008, with Cristiano Ronaldo emerging as a world star.

The pair have since made up and Van Nistelrooy made a point of speaking to the Scot, who was at Old Trafford for the first time since being stripped of his paid ambassadorial role by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

"Yes, I spoke to him," said Van Nistelrooy. "He wished me luck.

"We spoke about my situation, about the team and most of all he wished me luck before the game. It’s always great to speak to him."

Image source, Reuters

The Daily Star

Today's Star describes Manchester United's pursuit of Ruben Amorim as a "saga". Seems a bit too much given Erik ten Hag was only sacked on Monday and even if they have triggered Amorim's release clause, you wouldn't expect Sporting to just let their boss leave before a run of three big games in a week.

Hats off, though, for referencing Coronation Street, which is filmed less than a mile from United's home ground Old Trafford - and just across the water from us here at BBC HQ.

Image source, Daily Star

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

On the basis it seems unlikely Manchester United - or Sporting - are going to just leave their managerial uncertainty hanging until Ruben Amorim speaks to the media at about 22:30 this evening, I would assume there will be clarity over what is going to happen at some point today.

Amorim has said he will explain everything once tonight's home game against Estrela is out of the way.

That, I would have thought, will centre around his thought process for making his decision to leave Sporting mid-season rather than state he is actually leaving, which is common knowledge.

The I

The i mentions that slight delay in Manchester United appointing Ruben Amorim and that his first game in charge of United would be a trip to Ipswich on Sunday, 24 November.

Image source, the i

As Simon Stone has reported, Ruben Amorim is set to take charge of Manchester United during the next international break, allowing him to be in charge of Sporting for their next three games.

They include a big Champions League match against his future derby rivals - if appointed - and his final game is set to be a return to his former club Braga, who are currently fifth in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, 10 points behind leaders Sporting.

• Sporting v Estrela (Fri, 1 Nov)
• Sporting v Man City (Tue, 5 Nov)
• Braga v Sporting (Sun, 10 Nov)

ESPN

Back in 2020, Sporting were so keen to appoint Ruben Amorim that they paid a release clause of 10m euros (£8.4m) to recruit him from Portuguese rivals Braga - despite him only having two months of top-flight experience in charge of Braga.

Now ESPN is reporting that sources have told them that Manchester United have triggered his release clause with Sporting - also 10m euros (£8.4m) - and the Premier League club will pay compensation to enable a number of Amorim's backroom staff to join him at Old Trafford.

That is one of the top stories in Friday's gossip page.

The Daily Telegraph

Manchester United's pursuit of Ruben Amorim dominates today's back pages, and the Daily Telegraph reports that the Portuguese coach said he was ready for a "new challenge".

Image source, Daily Telegraph

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Sporting coach Ruben Amorim said there will be "clarification" over his expected move to Manchester United after his side's game against Estrela on Friday.

The 39-year-old is expected to remain in charge of the Portuguese side until the next international break from 11-19 November.

There remains confusion over whether a deal has been completed for Amorim to take over at Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday.

"It's a negotiation between two clubs, it's never easy," said Amorim.

United board member Sir Dave Brailsford told fans "it's done" as he arrived for Wednesday's EFL Cup win with Leicester and posed for a photograph. This information has been corroborated by additional sources from Portugal.

However, Sporting officials are adamant there is still no official deal and talks are continuing.

Manchester United have refused to comment.

"Even with the clauses, it's never easy, they have to talk and we will have clarification after the game, it will be very clear," Amorim added.

"So it's one more day after the game tomorrow, we will have a decision made."

Sporting coach Ruben Amorim spoke to the media on Thursday as his side prepare to face Estrela in the Portuguese Primeira Liga later today.

Naturally, he was asked about Manchester United's interest in appointing him as their new manager, after the Premier League giants sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday.

The Portuguese coach didn't give much away but did say a decision would be made after today's game.

Image source, EPA