Manchester United have dismissed manager Ruben Amorim just 14 months after his appointment, the club confirmed on Monday.
In an official statement, United said the Portuguese coach had departed his role, explaining that the club’s leadership had “reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change”.
According to the statement, “This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.”
The club added, “The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future.”
United confirmed that current Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher will take temporary charge of the team for Wednesday’s Premier League clash against Burnley.
The decision comes with United sitting sixth in the league table following a 1-1 draw away to Leeds on Sunday.
After that match, Amorim delivered a tense and widely discussed press conference in which he firmly stated that he was Manchester United’s manager, not merely a coach. In the same briefing, he appeared to criticise the club’s recruitment structure, telling the scouting department and director of football Jason Wilcox “to do their job”.
The 40-year-old had hinted at internal frustrations in the build-up to the Leeds match after declining to expand on previous remarks regarding United’s transfer strategy. His body language at the time appeared subdued as he avoided detailed answers.
However, he struck a more forceful tone when questioned after Sunday’s game about whether he still felt backed by the club’s hierarchy.
“Guys, to start with that—and I noticed that you receive selective information about everything—I came here to be the manager of the Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United,” Amorim said. “And that is clear.
“I know that my name is not (Thomas) Tuchel, it’s not (Antonio) Conte, it’s not (Jose) Mourinho but I’m the manager of Manchester United.
“And it’s going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decides to change, so 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.”
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Amorim was appointed United boss in November 2024 and guided the club to the Europa League final in Bilbao last May, where they were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur. Despite that continental run, United endured a miserable domestic campaign, finishing 15th in the Premier League last season.
His 14-month spell is now the shortest tenure by a permanent Manchester United manager since David Moyes was dismissed after just eight months in charge in 2014.
United, who have won the English league title a record 20 times, have not lifted the Premier League trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in 2013.
What you should know
Ruben Amorim’s dismissal highlights the ongoing instability at Manchester United more than a decade after Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure.
Despite reaching a Europa League final, poor league performances and visible tension between Amorim and the club’s football structure appear to have accelerated his exit.
With Darren Fletcher stepping in on an interim basis, United now face yet another managerial reset as they search for consistency, identity and a return to domestic dominance that has eluded them since 2013.
