Manchester United have parted ways with head coach Ruben Amorim after just 14 months in charge, following a significant breakdown in his relationship with the club's hierarchy over transfer strategy and tactical philosophy.
A Reign Unravelled by Inflexibility and Internal Conflict
The Portuguese coach's fate was effectively sealed during a tense media conference last Friday, previewing the trip to Leeds United. When asked if director of football Jason Wilcox had informed him of a change to the January transfer budget, Amorim's terse reply – "You are very smart" – signalled a deep rift. This followed his puzzling Christmas Eve admission that he was beginning to understand funds were not available to sign players for his preferred 3-4-3 system.
Amorim's stubborn adherence to this formation, despite poor results, was a primary concern for executives Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada. Club sources indicate they believed he had agreed to evolve United's style towards a more attack-focused approach, in keeping with the club's heritage. His reversion to a 3-4-3 in last week's 1-1 draw with Wolves, after a win using a 4-2-3-1 against Newcastle, exemplified this failure to adapt.
Mounting Grievances Lead to the Axe
The discontent extended beyond tactics. United's leadership was reportedly dismayed by Amorim's public criticism of academy prospects like Harry Amass and Chido Obi, and his underwhelming comments about senior players including Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Sesko. This created a critical mass of dissatisfaction.
The final act played out after Sunday's defeat at Leeds, where Amorim gave a scattergun press conference. He pointedly referred to himself as "manager" not "head coach", suggested he could "move on" when his contract ended, and stated if criticism from Gary Neville could not be ignored, "we need to change the club". This was widely seen as a premeditated back-me-or-sack-me ultimatum.
Fallout and a Familiar Pattern of Failure
While Amorim was backed with a £250 million summer spend on players like Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko, the squad remained unbalanced, notably lacking a specialist midfielder. United insist Amorim agreed with the transfer priorities, but the strategy appeared flawed.
His departure continues a bleak post-Ferguson trend. Amorim leaves with the worst record of any permanent United manager since Frank O'Farrell in the 1970s, boasting a mere 39% win rate and 1.24 points per game in the Premier League. He lost more matches than he won in 2025.
Questions now loom for the well-paid executives who appointed him. As Darren Fletcher takes temporary charge, the search begins for yet another figure to tame what has become a hydra-headed beast at Old Trafford.
