Manchester United could soon be looking for a new manager if Ruben Amorim’s comments are anything to go by – having suggested he might not be the right man for the club following their 2-0 loss to West Ham
Ruben Amorim was seen as the man who could finally bring the glory days back to Manchester United when he replaced Erik ten Hag in October, but perhaps it’s a bridge too far even for a man of his talents. The gruelling nature of this job has clearly been taxing on the Portuguese coach after some eyebrow-raising comments about his future.
After his team suffered a 17th Premier League defeat of the season at the hands of West Ham on Sunday, leaving them in 16th place, and Amorim appeared dejected in his post-match press conference. He dismissed excitement around their Europa League final and slammed the players’ attitude after claiming they were “not scared of losing a game” and “are losing the feeling that we are a massive club”.
He then suggested he might not be the right man to take the club forward after saying they had much bigger problems than their Europa League showpiece against Tottenham on May 21.
“We need to be really strong in the summer and to be brave because we will not have a next season like this,” he said. “If we start like this, if the feeling is still here, we should give the space to different people.”
Could Amorim really leave Manchester United despite so much hope he could get the club back on track? Club officials are already set to evaluate his performance in the summer – regardless of whether he wins the Europa League or not, and a bad result could even see him jump ship first.
With that in mind, Mirror Football has assessed some of the candidates that United could look at in the event that Amorim shocks the club by leaving.
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Max Allegri
The Italian quickly emerged as the bookies’ favourite to take over at Manchester United in the wake of Amorim’s comments.
The Italian has been out of work since he left Juventus at the end of last season and has been patiently waiting for the right club to take over.
Allegri is still seen as one of football’s most talented coaches despite a difficult second spell in Turin that saw him fall away from title contention and even finished as low as seventh in his second season back.
He did win the Coppa Italia in 2023, however, and boasts a superb track record of silverware during his time as a manager.
He won Serie A with Milan in 2010-11 and won another five Scudettos with Juventus, in addition to five Coppa Italias.
Gareth Southgate
The former England boss has still not found a job since leaving his post as Three Lions boss last summer, following the team’s painful Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.
Southgate earned admirers for his achievements with England in major tournaments that saw them reach one semi-final and two finals, helping fans reconnect with the team and drum up excitement about the national team.
However, it’s unclear what his next move will be after so long in international management. His last club job was with Middlesbrough, where he secured two mid-table finishes before seeing his side relegated in 2008-09.
Southgate will feel he has come on leaps and bounds as a manager and he is rumoured to have admirers at United, particularly among chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who was said to be eyeing him up when Erik ten Hag was manager.
Mauricio Pochettino
The Argentine was a reported target for United when he was at Tottenham after his superb work in north London to breed through talented youngster and turn them into first team stars.
United have a number of young players who are in need of similar guidance to nurture them and help them realise their potential – the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Harry Amass and Chido Obi-Martin.
Pochettino would appear to be a great fit for United despite his own struggles at previous jobs PSG and Chelsea – where he spent only one season, securing a sixth-placed finish.
However, if United wanted to hire the 53-year-old, they would have to convince him to rip up his contract with the United States National Team, where he has agreed a deal to manage them at the 2026 World Cup.
While Pochettino will be keen to honour that contract, a call from Manchester United would surely be hard to reject.
Kieran McKenna
A man who knows the club well from his time as a coach at Old Trafford, McKenna’s name is one that is consistently linked with United.
He was floated as a possible managerial target last summer when Ten Hag’s future was up in the air and McKenna had just performed miracles secure back to back promotions for Ipswich from League One to the Premier League.
And despite seeing his Tractor Boys relegated straight back to the Championship this season, McKenna’s stock remains high after valiantly battling against the drop with limited resources. He has also managed to get some excellent performances out of forward Liam Delap, who is being linked with a move to United.
Having worked as a youth coach and first team coach at Old Trafford, McKenna knows many of the players well and would have less difficulty transitioning to the full time role.
Xavi
The former Barcelona coach – a legendary midfielder during his incredible spell as a player – has been out of work for a year since leaving the Nou Camp and has been eyed by a number of top teams since.
Xavi started his managerial career with Qatar outfit Al-Sadd before replacing Ronald Koeman at Barca and eventually winning the La Liga title in his second season.
He endured difficult moments – particularly when his side crashed out of the group stages of the Champions League for the second straight season in 2022.
But his coaching ability and tactical prowess impressed many and he has still been talked up as a candidate for many top jobs around Europe.
The Independent have reported that United approached Xavi last year – before appointing Amorim – giving him the chance to take over as a temporary boss, but the Spaniard was not interested. Perhaps he might be keen on holding further talks if the full time gig becomes available.
Jose Mourinho
He couldn’t… could he? Jose Mourinho was one of United’s most successful coaches since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson as he won the League Cup and Europa League, while also delivering a 2nd placed finish in 2018.
Mourinho was box-office at United and rarely shied away from controversy, but it all came crashing down when he led the team to a disastrous start to the 2018-19 season saw him sacked in December, while there were also reported bust-ups with Paul Pogba.
But “The Special One” has often been linked with a shock return to United in recent years and he could be available soon amid doubts over his future at Fenerbache, following his side’s failure to win the Turkish Super Liga.
Mourinho was also accused of racism by Galatasaray – something he has strongly refuted – while he has found himself in hot water with football chiefs in Turkey after pinching a referee’s nose.
The Portuguese coach – who invited Ruben Amorim to United to complete a coaching internship during his time in charge – is now a favourite to return to the club among some bookies, despite appearing to have closed the book on his time in the Premier League.
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