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Ruben Amorim has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United in January after a difficult 14-month spell in charge.
He replaced Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford in November 2024 after the club opted against waiting until the end of the season.
Amorim, who earned a strong reputation at Sporting by ending their 19-year title drought in 2020-21 and winning another league crown in 2023-24, remains one of Europe’s most highly regarded young coaches.
He has now emerged as the leading candidate for the AC Milan job following the departure of Massimiliano Allegri in May. Milan’s season collapsed late on after they dropped out of the Champions League places on the final day.
Mauricio Pochettino and Oliver Glasner were also linked with the role, but reports from BBC Sport claim Amorim has agreed to become Milan’s new head coach.
While no deal has been formally signed, the 41-year-old is expected to travel to Milan later this week to complete a two-year contract.
Reports in Italy claim Amorim has agreed to forgo the remaining salary owed to him by Manchester United following his January dismissal.
United previously stated that his departure, along with his coaching staff, could cost the club up to £15.9m, though it remains unclear whether this will be reflected in their next financial results due in the autumn.
Last month, Amorim was heavily linked with a return to former club Benfica after Jose Mourinho’s exit to Real Madrid became imminent, with Marco Silva later appointed as head coach.
AC Milan have moved quickly to restructure their football operations following their failure to qualify for the Champions League, with sporting director Igli Tare, chief executive Giorgio Furlani and technical director Geoffrey Moncada all leaving alongside Allegri.
Nottingham Forest head of recruitment Pedro Ferreira is now being targeted as part of a wider overhaul, with plans for him to join Ruben Amorim’s backroom staff at San Siro.
RedBird Capital Partners owns AC Milan and has held an 11% stake in Fenway Sports Group since 2021.FSG, led by principal owner John Henry, is reported to have used part of that investment to support projects including the redevelopment of the Anfield Road Stand at Liverpool.