🔗 Share this article

The Old Trafford club have parted ways with manager Ruben Amorim after just 14 months in charge. The move comes amid a reported disagreement over transfer policy and despite the team's improved league position.

What Sparked the Decision

Relations between the manager and the club's hierarchy, specifically director of football Jason Wilcox, had been deteriorating for a period. The final trigger is believed to have been statements made by the coach after the recent 1-1 draw with their rivals. He reportedly told the recruitment team to "focus on their duties," highlighting a major disagreement.

"I was hired as the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach. That is clear. I know my name is not among the elite names but I’m the manager. It’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change. I’m not going to quit, I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me."

A Struggling Reign

Statistically, Amorim's time at Old Trafford was difficult. He departs with a win ratio of a sub-40% win rate and a league points average of just 1.24 in the top flight. The team suffered more defeats than it won in the calendar year 2025.

Interestingly, his final games showed a slight improvement. United were defeated only once of his last eight matches and now find themselves sixth in the Premier League table, just a narrow margin off the prized Champions League spots.

Final Games in Charge

• 4-4 draw vs Bournemouth (Home)
• 2-1 loss vs Aston Villa (Away)
• 1-0 win vs Newcastle United (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Leeds United (Away)

United's Position

In its statement, the club framed the decision as one aimed at achieving the highest league finish.

"With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has after careful consideration made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish. The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future."

The Immediate Future

In the immediate aftermath, club legend the Scot will take charge on an temporary basis. He is expected to be in the technical area for the next league fixture against the Clarets.

For the permanent role, bookmakers and pundits are speculating a number of potential candidates. Names being linked include Spanish tactician Xavi Hernández, Oliver Glasner, England national team boss Gareth Southgate, and Enzo Maresca.

Fan and Pundit Reaction

The announcement has sparked debate among supporters and commentators. Some cite the poor results and tactics as justification, while others argue the ownership and directors must bear a large responsibility for instability.

A perspective suggests: "{Between the consistently bad performances and results, the rather abhorrent win ratio and the inflexible approach, he has no one else to blame but himself... The ownership and their ‘best-in-class’ claims should, however, feel a large brunt of the fan’s rage; this was a farce from start to finish."

A counter-argument states: "It seems crazy to blame results when the team are in the top six in the table... They’ve beaten top sides... and have lost only twice since 1 October. Just watching them you can see they’re a improved side than last year."

The hunt for a new manager and the pursuit for stability at Manchester United begins anew.