Ruben Amorim has been tipped to replace Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United but former Sporting Lisbon ace Carlos Fernandes believes it is not the right time to move to the Premier League, speaking to Radio Renascenca.
This is not the first time a fresh-faced 30-something has led his team to Primeira Liga glory.
A decade after Andre Villas-Boas exploded onto the scene with a league, cup and European treble at FC Porto, Amorim dragged Sporting to their first domestic title since the days when a teenage Cristiano Ronaldo was strutting his stuff at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
In fact, Amorim did such a remarkable job that, according to UOL, he has been identified as a replacement for the irreplaceable at Leeds United.
But is it too soon for the former Portugal international? Is he at risk of becoming AVB 2.0; the Josh Klinghoffer to Leeds’ John Frusciante?
Could Ruben Amorim be Leeds United’s next manager?
“If you ask me if this is the time for Ruben Amorim to leave, I will tell you that, in my opinion, no,” says Fernandes.
“I think he will one day find a good project abroad and will have the greatest success. But for now, I think it would be better to continue to grow at Sporting.
At just 36, Amorim is three decades younger than Bielsa. He also has just two years of top-level managerial experience under his belt.
“(Amorim) is young and, in terms of career management, it would make sense for him to consolidate the Sporting project and then, yes, embrace other things abroad,” Fernandes adds.
“Ruben Amorim’s work at Sporting has been surprising and fantastic. It seems to me that we are going to hear more and more about the interest of this or that club in Ruben.”
Amorim won’t come cheap. Sporting have inserted a £25 million release clause into his contract.
If someone were to trigger it, he would replace Julian Nagelsmann as the most expensive manager in football history.
With Bielsa’s contract expiring next summer, Leeds have also been linked with Palmeira’s Abel Ferreira and former Granada boss Diego Martinez.
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