Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United.
Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United following a breakdown in relations with the club’s top brass. It comes after he gave an explosive statement at his press conference after Sunday’s draw with Leeds United. He appeared to challenge United’s board to let him do his job without interference, hinting at issues behind the scenes.
Amorim said: “I just want to say I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach. In every department, the scouting department, the sporting director, [they] need to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on. I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach.”
Now, the Portuguese boss has been relieved of his duties less than 24 hours after making those comments. Darren Fletcher will take charge of United on an interim basis until a permanent manager is appointed, which may not be until the summer.
In a statement, United said: “Ruben Amorim has departed his role as head coach of Manchester United. Ruben was appointed in November 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May.
“With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly 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. Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesday.”
According to The Athletic, a ‘breakdown in relations’ with the likes of Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox was the main reason for Amorim’s dismissal.
As per the terms of the deal Amorim signed when he took charge, there are no clauses to enable a discounted exit meaning the Red Devils will need to pay out his contract in full. It was set to run until the summer of 2027 with the option of a further year.
Amorim was appointed to replace Erik ten Hag in 2024, with United paying close to £10million to prise him away from Sporting.
Amorim’s exit follows a ‘breakdown in relations’ with United’s top brass (Image: Getty)
He went on to oversee the club’s worst Premier League season as they finished 15th with just 42 points in total. They were also beaten by Tottenham in the Europa League final.
United endured a nightmare start to the current campaign despite spending over £200m on new players during the summer transfer window.
They managed just seven points from their opening six league games and were humiliated by Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup, losing to the League Two side on penalties.
Amorim’s sacking comes after Wayne Rooney slammed the Portuguese boss for overstating his significance at United, claiming that he went too far with his comments after the Leeds game.
“I feel for him a little bit because the squad is not good enough, the players he’s got on the bench are young academy kids,” said the former Red Devils striker on the Wayne Rooney Show.
“It’s great to see them on the bench, but are they ready at this moment in time? It’s very difficult to put young players onto a football pitch when the team is not very good, so I feel for him a little bit.
“But he’s not Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp, he hasn’t got that history or that background, so I don’t think he should be speaking with that authority in what he is and I just think the words he’s saying are very confusing to me.”
