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The Old Trafford club have terminated the contract of manager their Portuguese head coach after just 14 months in charge. The move comes following a growing disagreement over transfer policy and even with the team's recent upturn in form.

What Sparked the Decision

Relations between the manager and the club's football department, particularly director of football the recruitment chief, had been deteriorating for weeks. The immediate catalyst is believed to have been comments made by the coach following the recent 1-1 draw with their rivals. He reportedly told the recruitment team to "do their job," underscoring a clear disconnect.

"I came here to be the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach. That is clear. I know my name is not among the elite names but I’m the manager. It’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change. I’m not going to quit, I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me."

A Struggling Reign

Statistically, Amorim's time at the club was poor. He departs with a record of victories of less than 39 per cent and a points-per-game average of 1.24 in the Premier League. The team suffered more defeats than it won in the calendar year 2025.

Interestingly, his final games showed a slight improvement. United lost just one of his final eight matches and currently sit in sixth place in the standings, just three points off the coveted Champions League spots.

The Last Five Matches

• 4-4 draw vs Bournemouth (Home)
• 2-1 loss vs Aston Villa (Away)
• 1-0 win vs Newcastle United (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Leeds United (Away)

Official Statement

In its statement, the club presented the decision as one aimed at achieving the highest seasonal position.

"With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has after careful consideration 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. The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future."

What Comes Next?

In the short term, former player Darren Fletcher will take charge on an interim basis. He is expected to be in the dugout for the next Premier League fixture against Burnley.

For the permanent role, oddsmakers and pundits are suggesting a number of possible successors. Names in the frame include former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández, Oliver Glasner, England national team boss Southgate, and another promising coach.

Fan and Pundit Reaction

The news has provoked debate among the fanbase and observers. Some cite the underwhelming performances and style as justification, while others believe the ownership and directors must shoulder significant blame for continuous turmoil.

A perspective suggests: "{Between the generally poor performances and results, the very low win ratio and the inflexible approach, Amorim has no one else to blame but himself... INEOS and their ‘best-in-class’ claims should, however, feel a large brunt of the fan’s rage; this was a farce from start to finish."

An alternative take states: "It seems crazy to blame results when the team are in the top six in the table... They’ve beaten Liverpool, Chelsea... and have lost only twice since 1 October. Just watching them you can see they’re a improved side than last year."

The search for a permanent successor and the pursuit for stability at Old Trafford begins once again.