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The Red Devils have terminated the contract of manager their Portuguese head coach after a little over a year in charge. The announcement comes amid a reported disagreement over transfer policy and even with the team's recent upturn in form.

The Final Straw

Tensions between Amorim and the club's football department, specifically director of football the recruitment chief, had been deteriorating for weeks. The decisive moment is believed to have been comments made by the coach after the recent 1-1 draw with Leeds United. He publicly told the recruitment team to "focus on their duties," highlighting a fundamental rift.

"I came here to be the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach. That is clear. I know my name is not a household giant 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

On paper, Amorim's time at Old Trafford was difficult. He departs with a win ratio of under 40% and a league points average of a meager 1.24 in the top flight. The team suffered more defeats than it won in 2025.

However, his final games showed a slight improvement. United lost just one of his final eight matches and now find themselves in sixth place in the standings, just a narrow margin off the coveted fourth place.

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)

Club Announcement

In its release, the club framed the decision as one aimed at securing the best possible league finish.

"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."

The Immediate Future

In the immediate aftermath, club legend Darren Fletcher will assume control on an caretaker basis. He is scheduled to be in the technical area for the upcoming Premier League fixture against Burnley.

For the permanent role, bookmakers and pundits are suggesting a range of possible successors. Names in the frame include former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández, the Austrian manager, Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate, and another promising coach.

The Court of Public Opinion

The news has generated mixed reactions among supporters and observers. Some cite the poor performances and style as valid reasons, while others believe the club's hierarchy must shoulder significant blame for continuous turmoil.

One viewpoint suggests: "{Between the consistently bad performances and results, the very low win ratio and the inflexible approach, he has no one else to blame but himself... The ownership and their ‘best-in-class’ claims should, however, feel a large brunt of the fan’s rage; this was a farce from beginning to end."

An alternative take states: "It seems unreasonable to blame results when United are joint fifth in the table... They’ve beaten top sides... and have lost only twice since 1 October. Just watching them you can see they’re a better team than last year."

The hunt for a new manager and the pursuit for consistency at Manchester United begins anew.