Ruben Amorim's professional journey has been intertwined with Manchester United on multiple occasions, extending back to his time as a player. Currently, the Sporting Lisbon coach is engaged in discussions with the Red Devils regarding their open managerial position following Erik ten Hag's departure, which was prompted by an accumulation of pressure over several months.

Ten Hag's tenure saw United achieve their poorest start to a Premier League season in history, and with three draws from winning positions in the Europa League, it was clear that the team's performance was not improving. In contrast, Amorim has garnered acclaim for his remarkable achievements in Lisbon, leading Sporting to their first league title in 19 years during the 2020-21 season, and then repeating the feat the following year. Below, we explore five instances where Amorim's path has crossed with Manchester United's: 1. **Champions League Encounters:** Amorim was part of the Benfica squad that faced United in the 2011-12 Champions League group stage, ultimately progressing to the knockout phase at the expense of Sir Alex Ferguson's team. He featured in a midfield role during a 1-1 draw in Lisbon, and later came on as a substitute in a 2-2 stalemate at Old Trafford. 2. **World Cup Opportunity:** Amorim's international debut for Portugal at the 2010 World Cup was facilitated by two figures familiar to United fans. He was a late addition to the squad when Nani was injured, and the selection was made by Carlos Queiroz, who had served as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Old Trafford. 3. **Eriksen's Europa League Clash:** Amorim had a memorable对决 with Christian Eriksen, a player he may soon manage at Old Trafford, during the 2014 Europa League knockout stages. Despite Eriksen scoring a free-kick, his Tottenham side was defeated by Benfica, with Amorim setting up one of the goals. 4. **Ugarte Connection:** Considering Manuel Ugarte's successful spell under Amorim at Sporting, it's intriguing to speculate whether his £42m move to United this summer was premeditated with a managerial change in mind. Ugarte's time in France didn't go as planned, but the chance to work with Amorim again at Old Trafford could be an exciting prospect. 5. **Manchester Shutout:** During his sole visit to Manchester as a manager with Sporting in 2022, Amorim's team secured a clean sheet in a goalless draw against Manchester City, with Ugarte in the starting lineup. This was one of only three times City failed to score at home during the 2021/22 season.