Prospective new Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim is expected to remain in charge at Sporting until next month’s international break.
There remains confusion over whether a deal has been completed for Amorim to take over at Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday.
United board member Sir Dave Brailsford told fans “it’s done” as he arrived for Wednesday’s EFL Cup win with Leicester and posed for a photograph. This information has been corroborated by additional sources from Portugal.
However, Sporting officials are adamant there is still no official deal and talks are continuing.
Manchester United have refused to comment.
The latest talks have centred around Amorim’s release. Sporting want the 39-year-old to remain in post beyond Friday’s league encounter with Estrela.
Sporting have a key Champions League encounter with Manchester City on Tuesday and play Amorim’s former club Braga in the league on 10 November, before European top-flight football pauses for Nations League games between 11-19 November.​​​​​​​
Financial rules around Sporting mean they have to confirm to the Lisbon Stock Exchange when an agreement has been reached for him to leave.
Amorim is due to speak to the media at 13:00 before Friday’s Estrela match.
Three hours later, Ruud van Nistelrooy will conduct his first news conference since being appointed as United’s interim manager.
After the victory over Leicester, Van Nistelrooy said he was willing to continue working at the club “in any capacity”.
United have home league matches against Chelsea on Sunday and Leicester on 10 November before the international break, split by a Europa League tie with Greek side PAOK at Old Trafford on 7 November.
They head to newly promoted Ipswich, managed by former United coach Kieran McKenna, immediately after the international break.
Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt could be Amorim’s first Old Trafford opposition in the Europa League on 28 November, with a Premier League game against Everton the following weekend.