Ruben Amorim's gesture to Michael Carrick, £10m pay

Ruben Amorim's gesture to Michael Carrick, £10m pay-off and being spotted in Qatar

Ruben Amorim was sacked by Manchester United in early January and the Portuguese manager has yet to return to management with any club

Nearly two months have passed since Ruben Amorim was relieved of his duties as Manchester United head coach. Amorim was dismissed shortly after letting rip with explosive post-match comments in the aftermath of a 1-1 Premier League draw with Leeds United.

In the weeks since, Michael Carrick has overseen a dramatic uptick in form with 16 points from a possible 18 helping United give themselves a serious chance of a top-four finish. But what of the man he replaced in the dugout?

A £10million payout means Amorim need not be in any hurry to return to management. He may well still feel he has a lofty reputation thanks to his success with Sporting CP, even if he was unable to build on it in English football.

Amorim may end up returning to management over the summer, be that with a Premier League club or one from another league. He's been keeping busy, though, with the 41-year-old spotted in the UK and Qatar since his sacking.

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Immediacy of sacking

Amorim's United exit all happened rather suddenly. He let rip at the club in the aftermath of that draw with Leeds and was gone within 24 hours.

"With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club's leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change," the club said in a statement. "This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.

Later on the day of his sacking, the Portuguese was spotted with his wife Maria in Cheshire. He appeared in good spirits as he interacted with photographers, with the day's news not affecting his outward mood.

Gesture to Carrick

More than six weeks after leaving Old Trafford, Amorim hasn't discussed his exit from the United job. This is seemingly no coincidence, with reports indicating he has made the choice deliberately as a gesture of goodwill towards successor Michael Carrick.

According to The Mail, the former Sporting boss will wait until the summer before breaking his silence. He is said to be reluctant to do anything which could derail the progress United have made since Carrick took the reins.

Victory at Everton on Monday saw United end the gameweek in fourth place, three points clear of their closest challengers. Fifth place could yet be enough for Champions League qualification but that will depend on how well Premier League teams perform across UEFA competitions this term.

Spotted in Qatar

Amorim might not have returned to football just yet but he was spotted taking in another sport. He was seen in Qatar this month to watch some tennis, taking in a match between Carlos Alcaraz and Karen Khachanov.

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There is no indication he has any connection to the two players, while a move to a Qatari club is not something which has been floated at this stage. Rather, a return to Portugal could be his next move.

Amorim has been linked with the Benfica job, depending on the future of current incumbent Jose Mourinho. He spent several years at the Lisbon club in his playing career, racking up more than 150 appearances in all competitions.

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