WHAT’S NEXT? WHICH ELITE MANAGER IS WAITING TO REPLACE RUBEN AMORIM AT UNITED?
Manchester United sack Ruben Amorim after 14 months. Darren Fletcher takes charge of Burnley. Read the full fallout and stats.
Manchester United finally pulled the plug on Ruben Amorim after 14 months that felt like a slow-motion car crash. It’s been a stretch full of bad decisions, stubborn tactics, and more than a few moments that fans would rather forget.
Amorim showed up in November 2024, not long after Erik ten Hag got the boot—even though Ten Hag had just signed a new contract. The club wanted someone to bring some fresh energy and direction, and Amorim, with two Primeira Liga titles at Sporting under his belt, seemed like the guy. But here we are, with United sitting sixth in the table and Amorim blowing up at reporters after a 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road. So, how did it all fall apart?
First, the tactics. If there’s one thing people will remember about Amorim at Old Trafford, it’s his absolute refusal to try anything but his beloved 3-4-3. When he took the job, everyone knew the squad just didn’t fit that system—the full-backs couldn’t play as wing-backs, and the midfield was left wide open. Didn’t matter. Amorim even joked that not even the Pope could change his mind. That stubbornness helped seal his fate, and now whoever comes in next has to work with a squad built for a system that isn’t working.
Then there’s the Marcus Rashford mess. Rashford scored right away under Amorim, but it was all downhill from there. The two never clicked. Rashford was out the door on loan to Aston Villa by January and then off to Barcelona in the summer. Rashford’s career got back on track elsewhere, but United only got loan fees and lost a homegrown star for basically nothing.
Amorim was supposed to be great with young players, which is something United always expects from their managers. But he wasted that chance. Alejandro Garnacho, who looked untouchable just last summer, ended up being sold to Chelsea. Rasmus Hojlund was loaned to Napoli. And then there’s Kobbie Mainoo—he started the Euro 2024 final for England, but under Amorim, he turned into a utility man, shuffled around with no clear role. Fans hated it.
Last season was a disaster—United finished 15th, their worst in 50 years. Even Amorim admitted, “We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United.” He picked up just 27 points from 27 games. Things got a bit better this year, but not enough for a club with United’s history.
If there was one bright spot, it was the Europa League run. Amorim took United all the way to the final, with that wild comeback against Lyon in the quarters. But then they didn’t show up against Tottenham, losing 1-0—their fourth loss to Spurs that year. No trophy, no big Champions League payday. It stung.
And who could forget the Grimsby humiliation? That was just the cherry on top of a tenure the club will want to move on from fast.
Amorim had some rough losses—those games against Bournemouth, Brighton, and even a ten-man Everton stand out. But honestly, nothing topped getting knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Grimsby Town, a team from League Two.
Grimsby jumped ahead with two goals, but Manchester United scored twice late to force penalties. The shootout turned into a marathon, ending 12-11, and Grimsby’s fans wasted no time. They started chanting “sacked in the morning” at Amorim, and social media lit up with memes of him clutching his tactics board on the sideline.
Things really fell apart for him over the holidays. That stretch is always brutal in England, and it ended up being his breaking point. First, there was a dismal home draw with Wolves—a team that barely had any points. Then, a 1-1 draw at Leeds. After that match, Amorim aimed for the club’s scouting department and the sporting director right in the press conference. Less than a day later, the club showed him the door.
INSIDE SENNE LAMMENS’ BLUEPRINT FOR MAN UNITED’S MASSIVE 2026 SUMMER TRANSFER OVERHAUL
"We want to be stronger." Read Senne Lammens' honest assessment of Manchester United’s squad needs after the Sunderland draw.
Senne Lammens isn’t hiding from the truth; he knows Manchester United have to beef up their squad this summer if they want to handle both the Premier League and Champions League next season.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland showed just how thin United are right now. Casemiro, Benjamin Sesko, and Manuel Ugarte all sat out with injuries, and you could feel their absence on the pitch.
It’s been a weird season for United. They played just 40 games, the fewest in over a century, because they were eliminated from Europe and both domestic cups so early. But now they’re back in the Champions League, and Lammens realises the team has to get deeper if they want to compete seriously.
“Yeah, definitely. This league’s tough, and next year’s schedule is going to be insane,” the goalkeeper said. “You want to have enough reliable players, people who can step up whenever they’re needed.”
Lammens made it clear that United must invest in new signings during the summer window. He’s not saying the squad lacks quality now, but he knows things will get tougher. “Honestly, I think we’ve got a lot of talent this year,” he said. “But next season’s going to ask a lot more from us, and you need to be ready for injuries and everything that can come with a busy year like today, when we missed a few regular starters. Being able to call on others to jump in really matters.”
He wants a strong, well-rounded group ready for the challenges ahead. “We’re already building towards that, but we want to be even stronger for next season.”
Some people wondered if United relaxed after they clinched their Champions League spot by beating Liverpool last weekend. Lammens brushed that idea off. He said head coach Michael Carrick was all over them, reminding everyone to finish the season on a high.
“I don’t think so, not for me at least,” Lammens said. “The manager made it clear that these last games are important. We want as many points as we can get and to finish as high as possible. How you end the season carries over. It’s your launchpad for next year. We want to keep the momentum going.”
He didn’t want to hear any excuses. “Honestly, if we’d played at Sunderland a few weeks ago before securing the Champions League, it still would’ve been tough. That wasn’t in our minds.”
Carrick echoed those thoughts after the match. He sounded almost annoyed when asked if the players were mentally on holiday already.
“I get almost offended by that,” he said. “The way the players prepared and battled out there, it’s clear they’re still focused. If we’d been off it, we’d have lost. Sunderland pushed us hard at times.”
He thinks the pride and responsibility of playing for Manchester United is all the motivation the team needs. “That’s what keeps us sharp, knowing we represent something big. That doesn’t guarantee we’ll always play brilliantly, but it’s enough to fight through tough days.”
MANCHESTER UNITED HOLD ADVANCED NEGOTIATIONS FOR RECORD-BREAKING £18M BETWAY SPONSORSHIP
Despite the upcoming front-of-shirt gambling ban, explore how Man United’s Betway deal targets training apparel at Carrington.
Manchester United are currently discussing a potential sponsorship deal with Betway, reportedly worth up to £18 million. This comes despite the Premier League having banned betting companies from featuring as main shirt sponsors starting from the 2026-27 season.
Back in 2023, Premier League clubs collectively agreed to remove gambling logos from the front of their shirts. From that point, no top-flight team will carry betting advertisements on their kits during matches. But this new deal would see Betway appear on United’s training gear, not their matchday shirts.
According to reports from the MEN, talks have progressed significantly. If an agreement were reached, the Betway logo would be quite visible on the training apparel worn by players at Carrington, United’s training ground. That means fans would regularly see the branding in video footage and photos taken during training sessions.
Previously, United’s training kits featured Tezos, a blockchain company, until that partnership ended in June 2025. Betway has its own history with English football; they’ve been shirt sponsors for West Ham United and maintain global gambling partnerships with several Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Arsenal, and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The financial terms on the table for this Betway deal would be substantially close to £18 million, putting it on a similar scale to Bayern Munich’s partnership with Allianz, which includes stadium naming rights. This is quite a significant figure for a single training kit sponsor.
This season, United have gone without a sponsor on their training gear. After the Tezos contract expired, the club chose not to rush into a new agreement. They wanted to carefully evaluate potential partners, both from a financial standpoint and in terms of brand alignment.
There were even conversations with the African division of the Six Rivers Foundation, a conservation project in which United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has invested. However, those discussions didn’t lead to a deal.
When majority owners Joel and Avram Glazer visited Carrington earlier this year, commercial revenue and sponsorship opportunities were among the key topics addressed. The club has also brought in marketing agency Two Circles, where ex-United sales manager Leo Thompson works, to help find a new sleeve sponsor, given that the current contract with DXC ends this summer.
Securing Champions League qualification for next season under Michael Carrick’s leadership has somewhat eased the process. United guaranteed their place in Europe’s top competition after a 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford, which should make the club more attractive to potential commercial partners.
