Manchester United have parted ways with head coach Ruben Amorim, paying him a staggering £10 million compensation to leave the club after only 14 months in charge.
A Costly Experiment Comes to an End
Amorim was summoned to the club's Carrington training base on Monday and formally dismissed by chief executive Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox. The decision brings a swift and expensive end to a tenure that has proven disastrous for the Old Trafford giants.
The Portuguese coach's departure means United have spent a total of nearly £27 million on hiring and then firing him. This figure includes the £8.3 million paid to Sporting Lisbon to buy out his contract in October 2024, an additional £900,000 to secure an early start, and his annual salary of £6.5 million.
Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher has been installed as caretaker manager, starting with Wednesday night's trip to Burnley. The club is now seeking an interim boss to see out the season, with former players Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer mentioned as early contenders.
Clashes and a Stubborn System
Amorim's downfall was sealed by a fundamental clash with the United hierarchy over tactics and philosophy. He was reportedly unwilling to compromise on his preferred system of three central defenders, a stance that brought him into direct conflict with his superiors.
Club sources indicate the decision to sack him was actually made on Friday, following a meeting after last Tuesday's disappointing draw against bottom-placed Wolves. In that match, Amorim had reverted to a back-three, against the wishes of the board.
Amorim was told that United's expensively assembled squad, bolstered by £250 million of summer signings, was capable of playing more attacking, front-foot football. However, this message was met with a furious response from the 40-year-old, who later made veiled criticisms in a press conference before an extraordinary post-match rant after the 1-1 draw at Leeds.
The Statistical Failure
The decision had full backing from the board and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, driven by a stark lack of progress. Amorim leaves with the worst statistical record of any United manager in the Premier League era.
He won just 25 of his 63 games in charge, presiding over the second half of the club's worst season in over 50 years. United will miss out on European football for only the second time in 35 years and currently sit sixth in the table.
United insiders stated they had not seen 'enough signs of evolution or progress' and acted to give the squad the best chance to salvage their aims this season. The club will also have to compensate the five members of Amorim's backroom team who followed him from Portugal.
Looking to the Future
Fletcher is expected to take charge for at least the next two matches against Burnley and Brighton in the FA Cup. Appointing an interim manager until the summer will give the club time to properly assess a permanent appointment.
This strategy could allow United to target a host of top managers potentially available after the World Cup, with names like Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti likely on their radar. For now, the search begins again after a remarkably costly and brief chapter under Ruben Amorim.
