Manchester United have sacked manager Ruben Amorim, with Darren Fletcher set to take charge for Wednesday’s Premier League game against Burnley.
On Friday Amorim hinted that his relationship with club officials was strained – suggesting he would not be fully backed in the transfer market.
And following the 1-1 draw with Leeds on Sunday, the Portuguese aimed another dig at senior United figures, stating he wanted to work as a manager “not the coach” and was ready to leave when his contract expired in 18 months’ time.
Less than 24 hours later, the club announced Amorim had “departed his role as head coach of Manchester United” after 14 months in charge.
“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,” United said.
“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.”
Amorim’s coaching team have also left United.
Sources told BBC Sport that the club felt there had not been sufficient evidence of evolution or progress this season under Amorim.
The 40-year-old was appointed in November 2024 and won 25 of his 63 games in charge of the Red Devils.
Amorim’s 14-month stint is the shortest reign of a permanent manager at United since David Moyes was sacked just eight months into his tenure in 2014.
Former United midfielder Fletcher is currently the under-18s head coach and was the club’s technical director between 2021 and 2024, but he has never held a senior coaching position.
The 41-year-old former Scotland international played for United between 2002 and 2015, winning five Premier League titles along with the 2007-08 Champions League.
He is expected to hold United’s news conference on Tuesday before their game against Burnley at Turf Moor the following day.
Amorim’s rocky 14-month reign
In January 2024, Amorim described his team as “maybe the worst” in the 147-year history of the club.
They ended last season 15th in the Premier League – United’s lowest top-flight finish since they were relegated from Division One in 1974.
United did reach the Europa League final in May but lost 1-0 against Tottenham and subsequently missed out on a place in Europe for the first time since 2014-15.
Amorim spent £216m on new signings over the summer with Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens among those added to the squad.
He spent the majority of his reign refusing to alter his favoured 3-4-3 system, which worked so well during his previous job at Sporting, before finally changing the team’s shape in the past few weeks.
Aiming a dig at the board, Amorim admitted last week he would “have to adapt” because he was not going to be given “a lot of money” to bring in the right players to fit his preferred formation.
United lined up with a back four during the 1-0 win over Newcastle on 26 December but Amorim changed to five at the back when they were held to a draw by Wolves four days later.
In the Premier League, Amorim had the worst win ratio (32%), the worst goals conceded per game ratio (1.53) and the lowest clean sheet ratio (15%) of any Manchester United manager.
The club will start their FA Cup campaign in the third round against Brighton on Sunday – August’s penalty shootout defeat at League Two Grimsby in the second round of the Carabao Cup stands out as a low point of Amorim’s reign.
SOURCE: BBC SPORTS
