Ruben Amorim has been dismissed by Manchester United following a tumultuous 14 months both on and off the pitch.
The 40-year-old leaves the club after securing just 24 victories from his 63 matches in charge, resulting in a win percentage of 38.71%. This record marks the worst for any United manager since Frank O’Farrell, who was sacked in 1971 after winning only 30 of his 81 matches, equating to a win rate of 37.04%.
The Athletic reported that Amorim was informed of the club’s decision to relieve him of his duties and left with “immediate effect”. Former midfielder Darren Fletcher is expected to take over on an interim basis.
Amorim’s position was further called into question following a remarkable outburst during his post-match press conference, where he expressed frustration over his “head coach” title, insisting he be referred to as the “manager”. He also made a thinly-veiled criticism of director of football Jason Wilcox after a transfer for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo fell through. Although he vowed not to resign, he demanded greater control amidst a standoff in the transfer window.
However, the decision has now been taken out of his hands, as Old Trafford executives have made the call to sack the former Sporting Lisbon boss. Last season, he suffered defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur and could only guide the team to a disappointing 15th place in the Premier League.
Despite some improvements this season, Amorim was unable to rectify the team’s ongoing defensive issues.
**Amorim’s Transfer Record at United**
Ruben Amorim’s dealings in the transfer market since his appointment at Manchester United include:
– Ayden Heaven, undisclosed fee from Arsenal
– Patrick Dorgu, £25 million from Lecce
– Diego Leon, £7 million from Cerro Porteno
– Matheus Cunha, £62.5 million from Wolves
– Bryan Mbeumo, £71 million from Brentford
– Benjamin Sesko, £74 million from RB Leipzig
– Senne Lammens, £18.2 million from Royal Antwerp
**Amorim’s Record at United**
Here’s a summary of Ruben Amorim’s record as Manchester United manager:
– Matches: 63
– Wins: 24
– Draws: 18
– Losses: 21
– Win rate: 38.10%
– Goals scored: 122
– Goals conceded: 114
Brenden Aaronson’s goal at Elland Road meant United had gone 15 matches without a clean sheet away from home, marking the club’s worst run ever. Under Amorim, United have only managed to win consecutive games once, achieving a three-match winning streak during a five-game unbeaten run in October.
He has faced criticism for his stubbornness in using his preferred 3-4-3 formation, only recently admitting that the system would not succeed without significant financial backing.
In August, he controversially stated that he sometimes “hates” his players and occasionally felt like “quitting”.
A perceived “heated discussion” involving Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Wilcox, and CEO Omar Berrada after the 4-1 victory at Molineux on December 8 largely went unnoticed. The trio were spotted engaged in animated conversation right after Wolves equalised shortly after half-time.
After the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth, United lost Amad, Bryan Mbeumo, and Noussair Mazraoui to the Africa Cup of Nations, while skipper Bruno Fernandes limped off during the defeat at Villa Park. Amorim set the tone by acknowledging that he may not receive the funds necessary to perfect his 3-4-3 during a pre-match press conference on Christmas Eve ahead of the visit from Newcastle.
Following a 1-0 win over Newcastle, Amorim remarked on his inability to reach an agreement with Wilcox regarding recruitment, stating: “I have one idea, Jason and the board have another – every decision we make must find common ground, which is essential. You don’t need to do everything for the manager because the manager can change; however, the manager understands the style of play.”
On Friday, January 2, Amorim appeared notably glum upon arriving at Carrington, the most despondent he has been seen, contrasting with his usual upbeat demeanour in press conferences. He unusually refused to answer a question and gave terse responses to others.
When questioned about his awareness of recruitment issues upon joining United from Sporting in November 2024, he replied, “I don’t want to discuss that. I’m focused on the Leeds game.” He reiterated that he did not regret his previous comments and declined to elaborate when asked again about the transfer budget.
His mood darkened further ahead of the Leeds match, culminating in an extraordinary outburst. A recent report suggested that Christopher Vivell, United’s head of recruitment, urged Amorim to adapt his system after Fulham’s Marco Silva provided a detailed counter-strategy following the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage in August.
While United officials have attempted to project an image of stability, Amorim’s actions suggest that he believes the expectations of his role have shifted.
