Ruben Amorim’s future in balance after bombshell attack on Man United hierarchy

Ruben Amorim’s future at Manchester United is in the balance after his explosive press conference on Sunday, talkSPORT understands.

Amorim’s fractured relationship with director of football Jason Wilcox is viewed by sources close to United as making his long-term position uncertain.

Speaking after United’s 1-1 draw at Leeds, Amorim strongly indicated he feels he should be given more power by claiming he wanted to be United’s manager as opposed to the head coach title bestowed upon on him when he was appointed.

talkSPORT understands Amorim‘s frustrations have boiled over after United‘s top brass including Wilcox urged him to be more tactically flexible.

If it comes down to a power struggle between Amorim and Wilcox chief executive Omar Berrada is expected to back the latter.

Amorim also feels promises he would be allowed to his squad in this transfer window have been broken, with United now planning a quiet January.

Dating further back to the summer transfer window, talkSPORT understands Amorim would have preferred to have signed Premier League proven Ollie Watkins over Benjamin Sesko, who has so far struggled to adapt to English football.

The Red Devils were one of the clubs actively pursuing Manchester City-bound Antoine Semenyo and Amorim believed the £65m it would have cost to buy him from Bournemouth should be invested in other areas of the team.

United minority owner Sir Jim Radcliffe has publicly stated Amorim should be given the entirety of the three-year contract he signed in November 2024 to prove his worth.

However, there are understood to be reservations in the Old Trafford boardroom regarding the Portuguese.

That may explain why United do not want to invest, especially as Amorim is so determined to keep playing his 3-4-2-1 formation.

Another sign of the doubts over Amorim from the hierarchy is their reluctant to sanction an exit for Kobbie Mainoo, who has been frozen out this season.

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talkSPORT have previously reported the United board feels Mainoo is still a kept part of the club’s future.

What did Amorim say?

The 40-year-old stunned after implying he planned to leave the club once his contract expired in the summer of 2027 in a bombshell press conference.

Amorim also hit out at the club by suggesting his position was being undermined with his insistence: “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the head coach.”

“I know my name is not [Antonio] Conte, [Thomas] Tuchel, or [Jose] Mourinho but I’m the manager of Manchester United,” Amorim continued.

“It’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change. I’m not going to quit.

“I’ll do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.”

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talkSPORT verdict

Shortly after Amorim’s press conference, talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook said: “It’s got Enzo Maresca vibes to it, hasn’t it?

“What he said after Everton win a few weeks ago, and obviously that was terminal for him in the end, he only lasted for a couple of weeks.

“There have been whispers amongst the journalists who cover Manchester United on a regular basis, but there is definitely a freeze in the relationship between Ruben Amorim and Jason Wilcox, the director of football.

“I think this is Amorim trying to stamp his authority, I think he probably wants some reinforcements in this window.

“The Manchester United hierarchy are reluctant to spend in this window and reluctant to bring in more players to suit the system, knowing that maybe Amorim won’t be there for the long term.

“I’ll go back to why this was such a bad appointment in the first place. Ruben Amorim was on Liverpool’s list before they appointed Arne Slot.

“One of the reasons they didn’t pursue their interest is because they knew that he wouldn’t change from this very rigid back three, wing-backs, that they don’t feel works in the Premier League.

“Chelsea are the only team who’ve managed to win the title in the Premier League era playing that way.

“Now, if Liverpool felt that, surely Manchester United should have had reservations as well. If they didn’t, then you’re going to have to buy into him, you’re going to have to back him with the signings he wants to suit the system.

“But actually, by even going down that route, in my opinion, they’re betraying the DNA of Manchester United. This is a football club built on wingers. Ruben Amorim doesn’t play with wingers.”