Rio Ferdinand has sensationally claimed that Mikel Arteta would consider leaving Arsenal to take charge at Old Trafford, following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim as Manchester United manager. The former United defender made the assertion after Amorim was sacked on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after a 1-1 draw against Leeds United.
Amorim's departure came after an explosive post-match rant in which he emphasised that he took the job to be 'manager' and 'not just a coach', and suggested he would be prepared to 'move on' at the end of his contract. The 40-year-old leaves with the lowest win percentage (38.71) of any permanent United manager in the Premier League era. Darren Fletcher has been appointed interim head coach.
Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, revealed he had sensed trouble during a recent visit to United's training ground. 'I noticed immediately that there was a coldness about him,' Ferdinand said. 'The vibe in the training ground around the players felt good, but he just felt a little bit distant.' He added that Amorim's return to a 3-4-3 formation may have contributed to his downfall.
The former England international also criticised the performance of several players, suggesting the style of play had not enabled them to show their best. 'You can't tell me Manuel Ugarte is as bad a player as he's looked,' Ferdinand said. 'Kobbie Mainoo hasn't even had a sniff and he was one of the best players in England's Euro 2024 team.'
On social media, Ferdinand named Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel and Xavi as his favoured candidates to replace Amorim. However, he is confident that Arteta would be interested in the United job, calling it a 'bombshell' claim.
