Sporting CP have confirmed an official approach from Manchester United for manager Ruben Amorim.

The Portuguese coach has quickly emerged as the top candidate to take over at Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday following a dismal start to the season and his assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy placed in interim charge of first-team affairs.

Things are moving quickly in terms of the prospective new appointment, with reports circulating on Tuesday claiming that United want to have Amorim in place in time for Sunday’s high-profile home Premier League clash with Chelsea.

Now Sporting have publicly confirmed an approach from United for Amorim - who is said to be very keen on the move - in an official statement released on Tuesday afternoon to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM).

The Primeira Liga leaders also confirmed that United had “expressed interest” in paying the €10million (£8.3m) buyout clause contained in Amorim’s current contract at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Their statement read: "Sporting comes, under the terms and for the purpose of fulfilling the information obligation arising from the provisions of Article 17.º of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014, of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 16, inform the market in the following terms: "1. Manchester United FC expressed interest in hiring coach Rúben Amorim, and the Board of Directors of Sporting SAD referred to the terms and conditions provided for in the employment contract in force between the Company and the coach, specifically for the respective termination clause and for the amount of Euro 10,000,000.00;

"2. Manchester United FC expressed interest in paying Sporting SAD the amount of said clause."

Amorim is widely considered as among the most sought-after managerial prospects in European football, having been strongly linked with a whole host of major roles across the continent including the vacant Liverpool job before Arne Slot was named as Jurgen Klopp’s successor in the summer.

The 39-year-old was also said to have been on the radar of Manchester City in the event that Pep Guardiola does not extend his contract beyond the end of the current season, with the reigning Premier League champions having recently announced the appointment of Sporting’s Hugo Viana to replace outgoing director of football Txiki Begiristain.

Viana was responsible for bringing Amorim to Sporting in a €10m deal with Portuguese rivals Braga back in 2020. The former Benfica and Portugal midfielder quickly led Sporting to their first league title for 19 years, winning another last term in addition to two Portuguese League Cups and the Portuguese Super Cup.

Amorim - who would become the sixth permanent manager appointed by United since the great Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 - is likely to take charge of Sporting for the final time on Tuesday night when they host Nacional in the quarter-finals of the Portuguese League Cup. They then take on Estrela in the Primeira Liga on Friday night before entertaining Manchester City in the Champions League next week.

United have been linked with several other managers over recent months as constant speculation continued to surround the Old Trafford future of the perenially under-fire Ten Hag, including Xavi, Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Frank, Roberto De Zerbi, Graham Potter, Michel, Sebastian Hoeneß, Gareth Southgate, Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel, the latter of whom was appointed as England manager earlier in October.

Ten Hag was finally relieved of his duties this week less than four months after a long-running summer saga over his position finally ended with a stay of execution and a contract extension, with a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday extending United’s dreadful recent run to just one win in eight matches across all competitions as they slumped to 14th in the table having also registered their worst finish of the Premier League era (eighth) last term.

Ten Hag spent 850 days in charge of United after leaving Ajax in 2022 to replace interim boss Ralf Rangnick and oversaw 128 games in total, winning 72. He reached back-to-back FA Cup finals - winning one back in May - and also won the Carabao Cup in 2022/23, their first major trophy for six years.

Van Nistelrooy, the legendary former United striker appointed as his new assistant in the summer, will be in the dugout at Old Trafford on Wednesday night as the club host top-flight rivals Leicester in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.