MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United have sacked head coach Ruben Amorim, ending the Portuguese manager’s 14-month spell at Old Trafford after a poor run of results and a public clash with the club’s leadership.
The 40-year-old was informed of the decision on Monday, a day after United drew 1-1 with Leeds United in the Premier League. The result left the club sixth in the table and struggling for consistency midway through the season.
Amorim, who took over in November 2024 following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag, had come under increasing pressure as performances dipped and tensions rose behind the scenes. Sources close to the club said relations between Amorim and senior figures, including director of football Jason Wilcox, had broken down.
The final trigger came after Amorim’s comments following Sunday’s match at Elland Road. In a tense post-match news conference, he publicly criticized the club’s structure and complained about interference in transfer decisions. He described himself as the manager rather than a coach and said he would not resign, adding that he would continue until the board decided to replace him.
The remarks were widely seen as a direct challenge to the club’s hierarchy and highlighted long-running disagreements over authority and recruitment, issues that have troubled several managers at United since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Results on the pitch did little to calm the situation. Amorim oversaw 63 matches in all competitions, winning 24. In the current Premier League campaign, United have won only three of their last 11 games, leaving them outside the top four and under pressure to secure European qualification.
Amorim arrived in England with a strong reputation after winning domestic titles with Sporting CP, but his preferred 3-4-3 system failed to deliver consistent results. Occasional tactical changes brought short-term improvement, but United continued to drop points, testing the patience of supporters.
In a brief statement, the club said the decision was taken to protect its ambitions for the season. United said it was the right time to make a change in order to give the team the best chance of finishing as high as possible in the Premier League. The club thanked Amorim for his contribution and wished him well.
Former United midfielder Darren Fletcher has been appointed interim manager and will take charge starting with Wednesday’s league match away to Burnley. Fletcher, 41, made more than 300 appearances for the club during his playing career and won five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League. His role is expected to be temporary as the club searches for a permanent replacement.
The sacking will also have financial consequences. United paid about €11 million to release Amorim from Sporting CP, and his contract was due to run until 2027, meaning the club must pay out the remainder of his deal.
Amorim becomes the latest manager to leave United in the post-Ferguson era, joining David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag in failing to restore sustained success. As United turn to the January transfer window and plan for the future, the club again faces questions about leadership, recruitment and long-term direction at one of English football’s most famous institutions.
