Ruben Amorim has been branded a 'traitor' by a former Sporting official ahead of his move to Manchester United and slammed by fans.
Amorim looks set to leave Sporting in the near future to take over at Old Trafford on the back of the sacking of Erik ten Hag on Monday, with United happy to pay his £8.31million release clause.
The Portuguese giants released a statement on Tuesday afternoon to the market confirming United's intent to replace Ten Hag with their highly-rated head coach.
Mail Sport understands that negotiations remain ongoing. It is thought one issue to be ironed out is over Amorim's start date. United are keen to install him in time for Sunday's visit of Chelsea but there remain a number of obstacles to overcome first.
And with the 39-year-old edging ever closer to taking a seat in the Old Trafford dugout, a former Sporting vice-president has slammed the outgoing manager.
Sporting fans have turned on manager Ruben Amorim, who is set to take over at Manchester United
United are set to appoint the Portuguese and are happy to pay his £8.31million release clause
One fan took to social media to brand the 39-year-old as 'son of a b***h' that they 'hate'
Speaking on the Bola Branca programme, on Radio Renascenca, Dias Ferreira said: 'It would be a disappointment and a betrayal. If Ruben Amorim left, it would be inconsistent with his speech, it would be a disappointment and a betrayal.
'I still believe that he will not go. Sporting has always satisfied all his demands.'
It does however appear that he will go in a move that will bring his four-and-a-half-year stay to an end.
There may be some reprieve, however, with United currently locked in talks with Sporting over Amorim's notice period, which Mail Sport has learned is 'a number of weeks'.
United fans have been left enthused by the pending appointment given Amorim's success in Portugal and the style of play he could bring, but the feeling from Sporting fans is quite the opposite.
'There is no point in commenting on this topic until we have something official from the club, but anyone who abandons a project halfway through is not a man, he is a rat,' one fan posted on X. 'I hope that the man who spent weeks and weeks making the speeches he did does not run away like a rat.
Another added: 'There are many things I tolerate in life, but I can't tolerate traitors, it's simply not part of my values.
'You may have given me the best joys in the world, but if you cheat on me you'll become a son of a b***h that I hate.'
Amorim delivered Sporting their first league title in 19 years in the 2020-21 season, and won the league again last season having also improved the side's fortunes in Europe.
He previously played for rivals Benfica, and has also been linked with the Liverpool and West Ham jobs in recent months.
Former Sporting official Dias Ferreira said it would be a 'betrayal' if Amorim is to leave the club
Fans continued to slam the outgoing manager, launching insults his way despite his four-year stay at the club
United are currently locked in talks with Sporting over Amorim's notice period, which Mail Sport has learned is 'a number of weeks'
The second Sporting fan continued on social media to post of his pending exit: 'Ruben Amorim, who has been saying for some time that he is proud to be Sporting's coach, who has been saying that he wants to win the second championship, is leaving in the middle of a practically perfect season, for me he is a traitor.'
Another posted: 'No one wants to rush in before knowing something, but Ruben can't expect anything less than that reaction if that happens.
'He knows perfectly well the fans he has and what they've been through. Leaving now would leave a bitter taste whenever we say his name.'