Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly fears that Rúben Amorim’s potential Manchester United exit this summer could be out of his hands even if the club win the Europa League.
Following Manchester United’s worst-ever Premier League season the club are looking set for a summer of overhaul.
The club looks likely to bring in fresh attacking blood to avoid another abysmal campaign. Wolves talisman Matheus Cunha is one of the favourites to join and the club are also vying for Ipswich’s Liam Delap.
In order to make room for these incomings a number of high profile players look set to leave the club. Club veterans Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelöf are due to leave the club when their contracts expire in the summer.
Additionally, English duo Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho both look likely to be sold as well after falling out of favour at the club.
Now it seems like it won’t just be players leaving the club this summer. A new report has indicated fear from the club’s hierarchy that manager Ruben Amorim may also be on the way out.
Ratcliffe’s fears Amorim exit could be out of his hands
Reports from The Sun have indicated that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is afraid that Amorim may decide to leave the club at the end of the season, even if the club win the Europa League, as the task of rebuilding United may become too much for him to complete.
This follows on from a report last week detailing a decision from the club’s side to stick by the Portuguese manager regardless of the result of Wednesday’s final.
In an interview last week, Amorim discussed whether he should remain in the job if the team’s culture doesn’t change next season: ” If we start like this, if the feeling is still here, we should give the space to different people.”
The report stated that Ratcliffe sees Amorim as a similar character to himself, “a loose cannon.” While the INEOS owner respects this trait, he does fear it will lead to Amorim deciding to depart the club as the task is more than anticipated.
Amorim joined United in November 2024 after being pushed by Ratcliffe to join mid-season. In an interview earlier in the year, Ratcliffe admitted that it would have been Amorim’s preference to join in the summer for a fresh start rather than having to try and salvage a season that had already gone wrong under Erik ten Hag.
Ratcliffe’s perspective will be different to Amorim’s
United clearly want to keep Amorim at the end of the season and see what he can do with a full transfer window and pre-season training. Ratcliffe has previously spoken candidly about the less-than-favourable situation that Amorim faced when joining the club. In several interviews early last year, he acknowledged the team’s quality and current injuries as mitigating factors in Amorim’s poor league results.
The turmoil that Amorim’s appointment caused may be another reason that Ratcliffe wants his manager to stay. Just two weeks after Amorim’s first match in charge of Unite,d the club’s sporting director Dan Ashworth left the club.
This was reportedly in part due to disagreements as to who should take over from Ten Hag, with Ashworth favouring Gareth Southgate. Ashworth’s short spell at the club cost millions and came at a time when the club was in financial difficulty so sacking Amorim now would not be good optics for Ratcliffe.
From Amorim’s perspective, this is his most difficult time as a manager. His short spell at Braga saw him immediately lift the team and inspire a Portuguese League Cup win. At Sporting CP, he went from strength to strength, maintaining a 71% win rate and leading the side to three league titles following a 19-year hiatus.
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However, United is Amorim’s first time at a club of this magnitude, and his reputation will likely be dictated by his spell here. Many would recognise that his hand was twisted into joining an unpleasant situation at the wrong time if he left of his own choice. Still, if he attempts to persevere and is unsuccessful, he will be seen as more culpable for United’s predicament.
The club have made it clear that they want to stand by Amorim regardless of Wednesday’s Europa League final result. Ratcliffe has invested a lot in this manager and acknowledges the difficult situation he has put him in.
However, for Amorim, the final may be far more significant in his decision. The bounce of winning a major trophy, as well as the financial bonus it will give his squad rebuild, may be the catalyst for a rejuvenated Manchester United next season. Still, a defeat will only make the situation darker.
Although Amorim may not have yet made up his mind, Wednesday’s result will likely be the clearest indication of his future.
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