Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has shared his thoughts on what Ruben Amorim might realistically accomplish if he becomes United’s new manager.
Sporting Lisbon confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that United had approached them with an interest in the highly-regarded Amorim, expressing a willingness to meet his release clause.
According to Mail Sport, Amorim has a notice period extending “a number of weeks rather than days,” which could affect the timing of his arrival.
If Manchester United can finalize the deal before Sunday’s match against Chelsea, Amorim would take over a team currently in 14th place in the Premier League, seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and the Champions League qualification spots.
With only nine matches played, there’s still time for a turnaround, but Scholes believes a top-four finish might be too ambitious given United’s current struggles.
“At best, Manchester United could aim for 4th in the league,” Scholes said during Sky Bet’s *The Overlap Fan Debate*. “But realistically, you’d probably say 6th is more achievable.”
Aside from the Premier League, Manchester United still has a shot at Champions League qualification through the Europa League. However, after drawing their first three matches, they currently sit 21st in the Europa League standings, making the path to European glory challenging.
Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to oversee United’s Carabao Cup clash with Leicester City on Wednesday night. If Amorim’s contract situation at Sporting isn’t resolved in time, he may not be available to coach the team against Chelsea on Sunday and might instead debut on November 24 against Ipswich Town.
After Chelsea, United will face Leicester again in the Premier League on November 10, followed by a two-week international break before their televised matchup at Portman Road.
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