Ruben Amorim lit a fire with his explosive comments in a press conference following Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Leeds. The Portuguese coach is seemingly unhappy at being referred to as a head coach, rather than a manager, and spoke about the prospect of leaving Old Trafford at the end of next season.
“Guys, to stop with that, I noticed that you receive selective information about everything,” he said. “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. 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 the other guy is coming here to replace me.”
Here, Express Sport has taken a look at four names who could take over from Amorim, either in 18 months or sooner if INEOS take umbrage with his rant…
Oliver Glasner
If United want to stick with a 3-4-3 coach, Oliver Glasner may be their guy.
The Crystal Palace boss has been pulling up trees at Selhurst Park, winning the FA Cup last season and guiding the Eagles into Europe.
He has shown exactly what that formation should look like, at times making a mockery of Amorim’s shape.
And Glasner’s contract is up at the end of the season, he does not appear close to signing fresh terms either…
Andoni Iraola
Not too long ago, Andoni Iraola was the talk of the Premier League.
He was touted as an undeniable next manager for one of the ‘Big Six’ and his Bournemouth side were a breath of fresh air in the top flight.
But a barren run and the impending exit of Antoine Semenyo has led to such conversation going cold.
Could United buy the dip on Iraola and land one of the top coaches in the division? It may prove a shrewd move.
Xavi
Xavi has already spoken about his desire to manage in England and United could be the perfect destination.
The legendary midfielder won La Liga while in charge of Barcelona and has been out of work since leaving the Catalan giants in 2024.
He would command immediate respect in the dressing room for his illustrious playing career and has already worked at a club considered among European football’s elite.
Xavi also would not demand a compensation fee as he is a free agent.
Zinedine Zidane
It would be the perfect acquisition, wouldn’t it?
Despite how far-fetched the idea may be, Zinedine Zidane to United links persist after many years following his Real Madrid exit.
He was asked about the prospect directly in 2022, telling L’Equipe: “Would I want to go to Manchester? I understand English, but I’m not completely fluent in it.
“I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work in a different way. Many elements come into play in order to win, it is a global context. I know what I need to win.”