Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim has distanced himself from speculation that he is being lined up as Pep Guardiola’s successor at Manchester City.
Guardiola has cemented his status as one of English football’s greatest ever managers since his appointment back in 2016, steering the club to 18 pieces of silverware, including six Premier League trophies.
But Guardiola’s current contract is due to expire next summer and there is uncertainty as to whether the Spaniard will extend his illustrious tenure beyond the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
The FA reportedly made contact with Guardiola over the possibility of managing England before Thomas Tuchel’s unveiling this week and the 53-year-old has admitted he would be open to taking charge of a national team down the line.
And with Guardiola’s future seemingly undecided, The Guardian report that City are strongly considering a bid for Amorim, 39, widely regarded as one of the finest young coaches in European football.
Sporting chief Hugo Viana, a close ally of Amorim, will soon take over the reins as City’s director of football, a move which has only fueled rumours that the Portuguese could also wind up in the north west.
However, in an interview with Cabine Desportiva, Amorim was keen to pour cold water on talk of replacing Guardiola as long as he was still Sporting manager.
‘Hugo Viana and I, we have different and separate paths,’ Amorim said.
‘His appointment doesn’t mean that I’m going to Manchester City.
‘We just have a very professional relationship, which will not last forever.’
According to Amorim, his situation ‘remains the same’, with the Portuguese contracted to Sporting until 2026.
‘Nothing about Sporting has changed. Nothing. Everything remains the same until the end of the season,’ he added.
Obviously, Viana will not be available to enter the dressing room. I’m going to leave him out, to avoid conflicts.
‘Otherwise, everything will stay the same until the end of the season.’
Speaking with Italian TV show Che Tempo Che Fa during the international break, Guardiola stressed that he needed more time to make a decision on his future.
‘Let’s see on my future,’ the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said.
‘I still need to reflect and decide what I want to do.’
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