Manchester United have announced the departure of Ruben Amorim, ending the Portuguese’s 14-month tenure as head coach. His final match was Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Leeds United, which leaves the club sixth in the Premier League after 20 games.
Darren Fletcher, the club’s former midfielder and current Under-18s coach, is expected to take over on an interim basis. Fletcher’s first assignment will be the away fixture against Burnley on Wednesday, with a permanent managerial appointment likely to be confirmed in the summer.
The decision followed discussions within the club’s leadership team, including Chief Executive Omar Berrada and Director of Football Jason Wilcox, after reported breakdowns in relations behind the scenes.
A club statement read: “Ruben Amorim has departed his role as Head Coach of Manchester United. Ruben was appointed in November 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May. 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. The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future. Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesday.”
Amorim’s contract, which was set to run until 2027 with an option for a further year, includes no clause for a discounted exit, meaning United will pay the remainder of his deal in full.
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After the draw at Elland Road, Amorim hinted at tensions with the club’s hierarchy, asserting his own view of his role: “I considered myself the manager of United, not the coach. It’s going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decide to change,” he said. “That was my point. I want to finish with that. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.”
Criticism of Amorim largely centered on his tactical approach, particularly his reliance on a 3-4-3 formation. Ahead of the Leeds game, he acknowledged disagreements over the system and limitations in signing players suited to it, yet he continued to deploy the 3-4-3 setup.
The 2025-26 campaign proved a challenging one for United. The team finished 15th in the Premier League with 42 points — their lowest top-flight tally since relegation in 1973-74. They exited the FA Cup in the fifth round to Fulham, were eliminated from the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage by Tottenham Hotspur, and fell to the same North London side in the Europa League final, ending the season trophyless for the first time since 2021-22 and missing out on European football for the first time since 2014.
United invested over £200 million ($269m) in the summer transfer window, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha for fees exceeding £60 million each, while goalkeeper Senne Lammens joined from Royal Antwerp for £18.2 million. Despite this spending, the team endured its worst Premier League start since 1992-93, securing only seven points from their opening six matches.