The Portuguese coach’s final match of his 14-month tenure ended in a 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Sunday, a result that left the club sixth in the Premier League after 20 games.
Former midfielder and current Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher is expected to step in on an interim basis, with his first assignment likely to be an away trip to Burnley on Wednesday night. A permanent replacement is not expected to be appointed until 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 relationships behind the scenes.
Under the terms of the contract Amorim agreed when he left Sporting CP for United in November 2024, there is no release clause allowing for a reduced payout, meaning the club will be required to settle his contract in full. The deal was due to run until 2027, with an option for an additional year.
Speaking after the draw at Elland Road, Amorim alluded to internal tensions, stressing in his post-match press conference that he viewed himself as the “manager” of United rather than merely the “coach”.
“It’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change,” he said. “That was my point. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy comes here to replace me.”
Amorim has faced criticism for a perceived lack of tactical flexibility, largely due to his preference for a 3-4-3 system. However, The Athletic reported in December that alternative formations were being tested in training. United beat Newcastle United 1-0 on December 26 using a 4-2-3-1 before reverting to the 3-4-3 in a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers four days later.
Ahead of the Leeds match, Amorim hinted at disagreements over the 3-4-3 setup and the club’s inability to recruit players suited to his system. He nevertheless deployed the same formation against Leeds.
United paid €11 million (£9.25m) to appoint Amorim from Sporting, where he won the Primeira Liga titles in 2021 and 2024 and lifted the Taca da Liga twice. He replaced Erik ten Hag, who departed Old Trafford after two and a half years in charge.
United subsequently endured their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th on 42 points — their lowest top-flight tally since relegation in 1973-74.
They exited the FA Cup in the fifth round against Fulham, were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage by Tottenham Hotspur 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.
Despite spending over £200 million on new signings in the summer of 2025 — including big-money arrivals Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha — results failed to improve. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also joined from Royal Antwerp in an £18.2m deadline-day move.
This season began in similarly disappointing fashion, with United recording their worst start since 1992-93 after collecting just seven points from their opening six league games.
In September, The Athletic reported that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe visited the Carrington training ground for a series of meetings, including talks with Amorim, as concerns over performances grew.
Following a shock Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town in August, Amorim publicly questioned his future, stating that “something has to change” and that the players “clearly showed what they want”. He later added: “Sometimes I hate my players, sometimes I love my players.”
Amorim had previously been linked with the Liverpool job before Arne Slot’s appointment and also held discussions with West Ham over replacing David Moyes, later describing those talks as “a mistake”.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, United have appointed six permanent managers, with their highest league finish in that period being second, achieved under Jose Mourinho in 2017-18 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020-21. The club have spent more than £50 million on managerial dismissals during that time.
Source: The Athletic
