🔗 Share this article

The Old Trafford club have terminated the contract of manager Ruben Amorim after a little over a year in charge. The announcement comes amid a reported clash over January funds and even with the team's recent upturn in form.

The Final Straw

Tensions between the manager and the club's leadership, particularly director of football Jason Wilcox, had been fracturing for a period. The final trigger is believed to have been comments made by Amorim after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Leeds United. He is said to have told the recruitment team to "do their job," highlighting a clear disconnect.

"I came here to be the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach. That is clear. I know my name is not Tuchel, Mourinho or Conte 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 Disappointing Spell

By the numbers, the Portuguese manager's time at Old Trafford was poor. He leaves with a record of victories of a sub-40% win rate and a league points average of just 1.24 in the Premier League. The team lost more games than it won in 2025.

However, his final games showed glimpses of stability. United lost just one of his final eight matches and currently sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, just a narrow margin off the prized Champions League spots.

The Last Five Matches

• 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)

Club Announcement

In its official communication, the club presented the decision as one aimed at achieving the best possible seasonal position.

"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, former player the Scot will take charge on an temporary basis. He is scheduled to be in the technical area for the upcoming league fixture against the Clarets.

For the long-term position, bookmakers and pundits are suggesting a range of possible successors. Names being linked include former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández, the Austrian manager, England national team boss Southgate, and Enzo Maresca.

The Court of Public Opinion

The news has sparked debate among supporters and commentators. Some cite the underwhelming results and tactics as justification, while others believe the ownership and directors must bear a large responsibility for continuous turmoil.

One viewpoint suggests: "{Between the generally poor performances and results, the very low win ratio and the inflexible approach, Amorim 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 mess from start to finish."

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

The hunt for a new manager and the pursuit for consistency at Old Trafford begins once again.