Manchester United have dismissed head coach Ruben Amorim, bringing an abrupt end to the Portuguese manager’s 14-month reign at Old Trafford.
Amorim’s final game in charge was Sunday’s 1–1 draw away to Leeds United, a result that left United sixth in the Premier League after 20 matches. Former midfielder and current Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher is set to take over on an interim basis, starting with Wednesday night’s trip to Burnley.
A permanent managerial appointment is expected in the summer.
The decision was taken by the club’s leadership, including chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, following a breakdown in relations behind the scenes.
In a statement, the club said:
“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 decided that now is the right time to make a change to give the team the best opportunity of achieving the highest possible league finish.
The club thanks Ruben for his contribution and wishes him well for the future.
Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesday.”
Under the terms of the contract Amorim signed when he left Sporting CP in November 2024, United are required to pay out his deal in full. The contract was due to run until 2027, with an option for an additional year.
Speaking after the draw at Elland Road, Amorim hinted at internal tensions, stressing that he saw himself as the “manager” rather than merely the “coach” of the club.
“It’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change,” he said.
“I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy comes to replace me.”
Amorim faced growing criticism over his tactical rigidity, particularly his unwavering commitment to a 3-4-3 system. He publicly acknowledged disagreements over the formation and the club’s failure to recruit players suited to his preferred setup — a system he again deployed against Leeds.
His tenure was marked by a disastrous 2024–25 campaign, as United recorded their worst-ever Premier League finish, ending the season 15th with just 42 points — their lowest top-flight tally since relegation in 1973–74.
United exited the FA Cup in the fifth round to Fulham, were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals, and reached the Europa League final, only to lose to Spurs again in Bilbao. That defeat confirmed a first trophyless season since 2021–22 and saw United miss out on European qualification for the first time since 2014.
The collapse came despite heavy investment. United spent over £200 million in the 2025 summer transfer window, signing Benjamin Šeško, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha for fees exceeding £60 million each, while goalkeeper Senne Lammens arrived from Royal Antwerp for £18.2 million on deadline day.
This season has offered little respite, with United enduring their worst start to a league campaign since 1992–93, collecting just seven points from their opening six Premier League matches.
Now, with Fletcher in temporary charge, United once again face the familiar task of rebuilding and searching for stability after another managerial upheaval.
