Manchester United fans will like what they saw from Ruben Amorim's Sporting against bitter rivals City on Tuesday night.
With Amorim set to take over at United after the upcoming international break, he will have endeared himself to the Old Trafford faithful by handing down a 4-1 Champions League beating to their cross-city rivals.
Amorim has managed his final game in charge of the Portuguese champions - a bittersweet experience for the man who admitted he would have stayed until the end of the season if he could have. But, as he revealed, it was a "now or never" ultimatum from United, and it was an offer he felt he could not refuse.
The 39-year-old has promised that he will not carry out a raid of Sporting once he departs (unlike his predecessor Erik ten Hag's dependence on ex-Ajax players).
He has not ruled out the odd move, however, and on Tuesday night's evidence there are more a few Sporting stars who could do a job for Amorim's United.
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Three Sporting CP players who would fit at Manchester United
Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres: Hat-trick hero ⚽️⚽️⚽️
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/a18KosuzgB— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2024
We start with the obvious choice. Viktor Gyokeres' development under Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP has been nothing short of sensational, with the Swedish striker establishing himself as one of Europe's hottest properties.
After a relatively unimpressive start to life in England with first Brighton and then Coventry, Gyokeres departed for Sporting last summer and has been transformed into a lethal finisher under Amorim. He scored a remarkable 43 goals last season, including 29 in the league, as Sporting won the Primeira Liga for the first time in three years.
For anyone unaware of the 26-year-old's capabilities, Gyokeres announced himself on Tuesday night with a sensational hat-trick in Sporting's rout of Manchester City. After that game, Amorim hinted that Gyokeres may be looking elsewhere at the end of this season, saying, "If I start joking about this Gyokeres situation I'll get in trouble. Viktor has to stay until the end of the season and then his life will probably go somewhere else."
Whether that "somewhere else" is Old Trafford or not, the Swede's place at the top of European football should not be in doubt. He will undoubtedly be the Sporting player most sought after next summer but the presence of Amorim in Manchester could be crucial.
Geovany Quenda
Geovany Quenda 💫#UCL pic.twitter.com/5vCJgdJoHj
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 5, 2024
A player who has burst onto the scene in sensational fashion this season, 17-year-old Geovany Quenda has been a revelation for Sporting at wing-back.
The Portuguese prospect impressed yet again on Tuesday night, and his youth and positioning could make him a prime target for Manchester United either in January or next summer.
On his day, there are few if any left backs in Europe better than Luke Shaw, but the Englishman's persistent injury layoffs are beginning to test the patience of the United faithful. With Tyrrel Malacia's availability even worse, and the defensive capabilities of Alejandro Garnacho as a wing-back to be questioned, a wing-back is likely to be one of the first things Amorim may look for when he arrives in Manchester.
Quenda is an exciting prospect, and could well be tempted to follow Amorim to Old Trafford.
Morten Hjulmand
Like Gyokers, Morten Hjulmand arrived in Lisbon last summer and has made himself an indispensable member of Amorim's setup.
The Danish midfielder was immense in defensive midfield as the club won the Portuguese league title. Made captain for this season, Hjulmand's leadership and tenacity in midfield have been invaluable in helping Sporting to another hugely impressive start to the season.
He also prove his capabilities in front of goal during the summer, scoring an absolute belter for Denmark against England at the Euros.
Even with the big-money arrivals of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte under Erik ten Hag, the base of midfield remains a huge issue for Manchester United. Morten Hjulmand could just be the man to solve that problem.
