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The Red Devils have terminated the contract of manager their Portuguese head coach after just 14 months in charge. The move comes following a reported clash over January funds and despite the team's unbeaten run.

What Sparked the Decision

Tensions between Amorim and the club's football department, particularly director of football the recruitment chief, had been strained for weeks. The decisive moment is believed to have been comments made by the coach after the recent 1-1 draw with their rivals. He publicly told the recruitment team to "fulfill their responsibilities," emphasizing a major disagreement.

"I came here to be the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach. That is clear. I know my name is not Tuchel, Mourinho or Conte 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, the Portuguese manager's time at Old Trafford was difficult. He leaves with a record of victories of less than 39 per cent and a league points average of just 1.24 in the Premier League. The team lost more games than it won in the calendar year 2025.

Interestingly, his final games showed a slight improvement. United lost just one of his last eight matches and now find themselves sixth in the standings, just three points off the prized fourth place.

Final Games in Charge

• 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)

United's Position

In its official communication, the club framed the decision as one aimed at securing the best possible seasonal position.

"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."

What Comes Next?

In the immediate aftermath, club legend the Scot will take charge on an caretaker basis. He is expected to be in the technical area for the next Premier League fixture against the Clarets.

For the long-term position, oddsmakers and analysts are speculating a number of possible successors. Names being linked include former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández, the Austrian manager, Three Lions manager Southgate, and Enzo Maresca.

The Court of Public Opinion

The announcement has provoked debate among the fanbase and commentators. Some point to the poor results and tactics as justification, while others argue the ownership and directors must shoulder significant blame for continuous turmoil.

One viewpoint suggests: "{Between the generally poor performances and results, the very low win ratio and the inflexible approach, Amorim 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."

A counter-argument states: "It seems unreasonable to blame results when the team are in the top six in the table... They’ve beaten Liverpool, Chelsea... and have lost only twice since 1 October. Just watching them you can see they’re a better team than last year."

The search for a new manager and the pursuit for stability at Manchester United begins once again.