Manchester United have parted company with head coach Ruben Amorim, ending a turbulent tenure that lasted just over a year at Old Trafford. The club confirmed the decision on Monday morning, with the team sitting in sixth place in the Premier League after 20 matches of the 2025/26 campaign.
A Short-Lived Reign at Old Trafford
The Portuguese manager's time in charge was marked by significant underachievement. His first season concluded with United finishing in the bottom half of the table, their worst Premier League placing in history. A defeat in the Europa League final compounded the misery, ensuring the club would be without European football for the first time in over a decade.
While results showed a slight improvement at the beginning of the current season, the board deemed the progress insufficient. In an official statement, the club said: "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. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish."
Amorim's Previous Premier League 'Mistake'
Long before his move to Manchester, Amorim was involved in a controversial episode that he himself later labelled a "mistake". In April 2024, while still managing Sporting CP and competing for the Portuguese title, he held secret talks with West Ham United about replacing David Moyes.
Addressing the incident publicly at the time, Amorim stated: "The first thing is to say that the club was aware of my trip. It's important and changes the context." He went on to describe the cloak-and-dagger nature of the meeting, but ultimately accepted full responsibility. "Obviously my trip was a mistake, the timing was completely wrong," he admitted. "It was wrong, especially when I'm so demanding with my players... It was my mistake, I have to accept it and live with it."
Amorim did go on to win the Liga Portugal title with Sporting before eventually securing the Manchester United job months later.
West Ham's Managerial Merry-Go-Round
The London club Amorim once spoke to has experienced considerable instability since that approach. After Moyes saw out the 2023/24 season, West Ham appointed Julen Lopetegui, who was himself dismissed by January 2025. Graham Potter then took charge but lasted only until September of this year.
Nuno Espirito Santo is the current incumbent, but with West Ham reportedly four points from safety, speculation about his future is already growing. This rapid turnover highlights the intense pressure and short-termism now prevalent in Premier League management.
Amorim's departure from Manchester United leaves the club seeking its latest permanent manager, tasked with reviving the fortunes of one of the world's most famous football institutions. The search for a successor who can deliver consistent success and restore the club to the pinnacle of English and European football begins immediately.
