Manchester United Sack Ruben Amorim After 14 Months In Charge

Ruben Amorim’s final match as Manchester United manager was a 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Sunday, a result that left the club sixth in the Premier League after 20 games.

Former midfielder and current Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher is expected to take over on an interim basis, with his first match likely to be an away fixture against Burnley on Wednesday night. A permanent replacement is expected to be appointed in the summer.

The decision to part ways with the Portuguese coach was made by United’s senior leadership, including chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, following a breakdown in working relationships behind the scenes.

Under the terms of Amorim’s contract, which he signed after leaving Sporting CP in November 2024, Manchester United are required to pay out his contract in full. The deal was due to run until 2027, with an option for an additional year.

Speaking after the Leeds match, Amorim hinted at internal tensions, stressing that he saw himself as the club’s manager rather than a coach.

“I will not quit. I will do my job until someone comes to replace me,” he said.

Amorim faced criticism for his preference for a 3-4-3 formation, which many viewed as tactically inflexible. Although United experimented with other systems in training, he largely stayed with the back-three setup. A brief switch to a 4-2-3-1 resulted in a win over Newcastle on December 26 before reverting to 3-4-3 in the following match.

United paid €11 million (£9.25m) to appoint Amorim from Sporting, where he won two Primeira Liga titles and two League Cups. He replaced Erik ten Hag, who spent two and a half years at Old Trafford.

During Amorim’s tenure, United recorded their worst-ever Premier League finish, ending 15th with 42 points. The club exited the FA Cup in the fifth round, lost in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, and reached the Europa League final, where they were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur, resulting in a trophyless season and no European qualification.

United spent over £200 million on new signings during the 2025 summer transfer window, including Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, while goalkeeper Senne Lammens joined from Royal Antwerp.

The season also marked United’s worst league start since 1992-93, with just seven points from six matches.

Reports earlier in the season revealed that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had held emergency meetings at the Carrington training ground amid concerns over form. Following a shock Carabao Cup defeat to League Two Grimsby Town, Amorim publicly questioned his future at the club.

Manchester United have now had six permanent managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, spending over £50 million on managerial exits during that period, with second place being their highest league finish since.

Ruben Amorim SACKED by Manchester United: Manager is given the boot hours after publicly calling out his bosses – with club legend taking over on interim basis https://t.co/gXfM15LKUR

— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) January 5, 2026

Source: MyJoyonline