Ruben Amorim’s future at Manchester United is in the balance, with the head coach’s strained relationship with the director of football, Jason Wilcox, a factor in what is viewed as an unpredictable situation at the club.
Amorim believed United were prepared to back him in the January transfer window should a major signing become available but at the moment this has changed, causing him discontent. The 40-year-old is believed to have been informed of this on the authority of Wilcox, who reports to Omar Berrada, the chief executive.
Amorim took over United in November 2024. While Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who leads United’s football policy, previously stated Amorim should be given three years to prove his worth, it is understood there are now reservations within the hierarchy regarding the Portuguese.
These concerns were in place before his public outburst on Sunday after the 1-1 draw against Leeds, when he insisted he is United’s manager, not just the coach, and said that he may “move on” when his contract runs out in 18 months.
These earlier misgivings were underlined by the Guardian reporting in mid-December a reluctance to sell Kobbie Mainoo, who is out of favour under Amorim. The 20-year-old midfielder, who is currently injured, is yet to start in the Premier League this season but the hierarchy believe Mainoo could convince Amorim – or a future United head coach – he is worth a regular place.
On Friday Amorim refused to clarify previous comments he made on Christmas Eve. Then he said: “I have the feeling that if we have to play a perfect 3-4-3 we need to spend a lot of money and need time. I’m starting to understand that is not going to happen.”
Asked if this was because he had been informed of a change in budget or if Wilcox had spoken to him, Amorim said: “I don’t want to talk about that … You are very smart.”
Amorim is considered at United to be temperamental, making his position unclear. Although the head coach stated after the Leeds match he would not resign, whether Amorim remains in place is yet to be decided. As Berrada’s appointment, Wilcox is thought to have the greater support from the chief executive.
Amorim further inflamed the situation on Sunday with his impassioned press conference at Elland Road, in which the Portuguese also pointedly told the scouting department and sporting director “to do their job”.
“I noticed that you receive selective information about everything,” he said after Matheus Cunha’s goal cancelled out Brenden Aaronson’s opener, keeping United sixth in the table. “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach of Manchester United. That is clear. I know my name is not [Thomas] Tuchel, [José] Mourinho or [Antonio] 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.”
When asked about transfer policy, he said: “Every department, the scouting department, the sporting director, needs to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.” He added: “If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club”, before abruptly ending the press conference.
The 40-year-old’s official job title is, in fact, head coach. It has also been reported that United’s head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, has questioned his tactics.
Additional reporting by Aaron Bower
