Ruben Amorim has Manchester United and Man City on alert - and it's easy to see why

There isn't a more in-demand manager in world football than Ruben Amorim just now.

Heavily linked with Liverpool last season, wanted by West Ham and impressing in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon, the 39-year-old is seen as one of the brightest and best in the business. So it is no surprise his name is being linked to both Manchester United and Manchester City - two Premier League giants who might need new managers in very different circumstances.

United could soon be seeking a replacement for Erik ten Hag if their form and results don't improve, while the Etihad might welcome a new boss for the first time in a decade if Pep Guardiola doesn't extend his contract past next summer.

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Amorim to City has gathered more pace since the Blues appointed Hugo Viana as their new director of football. Viana was central to bringing Amorim to Lisbon from Braga, paying a hefty €10 million to do so, and has reaped the rewards.

His reign has seen a title drought ended and progress from Champions League groups become the norm. It has launched Amorim into elite conversations and links with the biggest jobs.

If and when the time to replace Guardiola comes, City will seek continuity above almost all else and having his old pal Viana in situ would certainly make that straightforward should Amorim end up at the Etihad. The waters are muddier at Old Trafford but installing a young coach making good on his potential could provide the spark Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are looking for.

Amorim is a modern manager capable of playing attractive football, developing young talent, finding untapped gold in the transfer market and yielding results and trophies. It's a mix that makes him hard to ignore for Europe's top clubs.

Tactically he values possession, flexibility in attack and a defensive foundation. Sporting line up in a 3-4-3 shape with their defensive trio tasked with bringing the ball out from the back and the attacking wing backs playing high.

An aggressive press when out of possession means they win the ball back quickly and often that offers chances on the turnover. They often attack centrally and in numbers while relying on the wing backs to offer an alternative outlet, with numbers in the box a mainstay of their offensive strategy.

There is a flexibility to adapt and amend but the core principles remain with possession to the fore. Only Manchester City and Inter Milan averaged more than Sporting’s 74.9 touches per opposition tackle last season.

Amorim has helped develop youngsters, including current City midfielder Matheus Nunes, and the desire and willingness to bring on the next generation will go down well in the corridors of Old Trafford or the Etihad.

Both Manchester clubs want to be the best of the best and Amorim seems destined to rise to the top of his profession. His next move, much like City and United's, could define the next few years.