Ruben Amorim is poised to go back on his initial promise at Manchester United, despite having a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in place.

Ruben Amorim is reportedly on the verge of breaking a key promise he made shortly after taking charge at Manchester United. Despite having replaced Erik ten Hag earlier this month and earning praise for instilling a strong work ethic at the club, Amorim could now reverse an earlier commitment.

In his debut match as United manager, a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road, fans applauded his efforts even after the team squandered an early lead from Marcus Rashford’s goal. However, reports now suggest that the Portuguese coach might renege on a “gentleman’s agreement” he had established with his former club, Sporting CP.

According to Mirror Football, Amorim had assured Sporting that he would not target their players in the upcoming January transfer window. This pledge mirrored an agreement Erik ten Hag had with Ajax, which Ten Hag later disregarded by signing players like Lisandro Martinez and Antony. Similarly, Amorim now appears poised to follow suit by pursuing Sporting players.

The Daily Mail reports that Amorim recently sent United scouts to watch Sporting’s Champions League match against Arsenal, focusing on Geovany Quenda, Viktor Gyökeres, and Pedro Gonçalves. Amorim is already familiar with these players, especially Gyökeres, who has netted an impressive 67 goals in 70 appearances since joining Sporting in 2023.

However, the scouts may have been less than impressed, as Sporting suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Arsenal at the José Alvalade Stadium. Despite a consolation goal from Gonçalo Inácio early in the second half, Sporting struggled without Amorim at the helm. Arsenal dominated with goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Magalhães in the first half, followed by strikes from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard to seal the win.

If Amorim proceeds with this transfer pursuit, it would mark a significant departure from his initial commitment to Sporting.