Sporting Lisbon confirmed Manchester United's interest in recruiting their Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim and their willingness to meet his 10-million-euro release clause, the club said in a statement to the Lisbon stock exchange on Tuesday.
United sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday following a disastrous start to the season, leading to speculation about his successor.
The 39-year-old Amorim was immediately confirmed as the favourite although Brentford's manager Thomas Frank and Fulham boss Marco Silva were also reported to be in the frame.
Sporting, however, gave a heavy indicator that United were closing in on their number one target.
"Manchester United have expressed their interest in recruiting coach Ruben Amorim and have said they are ready to pay the 10-million-euro release clause," Sporting said in their statement.
Amorim refused to comment on the speculation when he was quizzed on Monday on the eve of Sporting's League Cup match against Nacional.
"I'm not going to talk about my future," he said. "I'm very proud to be the coach of Sporting Lisbon."
Amorim, regarded as one of the best young coaches in Europe, had been mooted as a replacement for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool this season, before Dutchman Arne Slot was finally appointed.