Monday morning marked the end of Ruben Amorim’s time as Manchester United boss.
The Portuguese boss succeeded Erik ten Hag at the Old Trafford helm just 14 months ago. However, rising tensions behind the scenes culminated in his exit. Amorim is the second managerial casualty of 2026 after Chelsea’s decision to axe Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day.
Ruben Amorim’s potential replacements:
Darren Fletcher will take interim charge until a replacement can be found, and attention now turns to Amorim’s successor. We’ve picked out four that could be handed the Old Trafford reins and decided on the right man to take on the role of United boss.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate wouldn’t be the most inspiring appointment as Amorim’s successor. However, he’s the one who arguably makes the most sense at this stage. United are in need of a steady hand. A manager to settle the ship after an incredibly turbulent period.
Southgate, then, fits the bill. Granted, he’s been out of the game since his England departure 18 months ago. Yet Southgate is a hugely respected individual and, perhaps crucially to some fans, he’ll likely utilise a 4-2-3-1 setup he favoured during his time with England.
Manchester United managers ranked by their win percentage post Sir Alex Ferguson:
1️⃣ 58.33% – Jose Mourinho
2️⃣ 54.69% – Erik Ten Hag
3️⃣ 54.17% – Ole Gunnar Solskjær
4️⃣ 52.94% – David Moyes
5️⃣ 52.43% – Louis Van Gaal
6️⃣ 36.92% – Ruben AmorimGame over. ? https://t.co/Hbf03XRWHy
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 5, 2026
The 55-year-old has shown a willingness to compromise on his tactics, utilising a three-man backline at Euro 2024. The tacticaly inflexibility contributed towards Amorim’s demise. Southgate’s preference, though, is a four-man defence. England stars Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and, perhaps crucially, Kobbie Mainoo would certainly benefit from Southgate’s return to the game.
Xavi
Another out-of-work manager itching to get back into the game. Tottenham have previously been linked with Xavi as a potential Thomas Frank replacement. United are likely to consider the Spaniard as an Amorim successor. Xavi hasn’t managed since his Barcelona exit in 2024.
During his time at the Blaugrana helm, Xavi guided Barcelona to the Supercopa de Espana and La Liga title. Additionally, the 45-year-old is one who has previously tapped into the club’s youth academy, which would appeal to the United decision makers.
Like Southgate, Xavi is a manager who favours a four-man backline. 4-3-3 is the go-to for the former midfielder. Whether United have the personnel to bring his ideas to life remains to be seen. Yet Xavi would be a solid appointment who’d turn United’s long-term fortunes around.
Oliver Glasner
Oliver Glasner has won a legion of admirers for his work at Crystal Palace. The Austrian deserves every bit of praise thrown his way. In all likelihood, Glasner will leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season. Could he exit Selhurst Park come sooner, however?
United have previously been credited with an interest in Glasner. That’s not a surprise. Any manager performing above expectations will be linked with the biggest jobs. Would the United job, though, be the right fit for the 51-year-old? Probably not.
Amorim was routinely castigated for is failure to compromise on his 3-4-3 setup. The same can be said of Glasner, whose preference with Palace has been a 3-4-2-1 formation. That’s not to say Glasner is wed to the idea of a three-man backline having used a four-man defence at previous clubs. Yet he’s a pragmatic boss, and his approach is unlikely to sit well with fans who demand United dominate.
Enzo Maresca
Maresca has been out of work for a full five days since his New Year’s Day exit. The former Chelsea boss is said to be waiting in the wings to succeed Pep Guardiola when the Spaniard leaves Manchester City. In the meantime, though, the Italian could make a swift return to management.
Maresca has a good working relationship with United Director of Football Jason Wilcox. Both Maresca and United chief executive Omar Berrada worked together at City. There’s already a mutual understanding off the field.
The issue will be whether Maresca is prepared to make an immediate return to the game. And with question marks over Guardiola’s future at the Etihad Stadium, Maresca may instead opt to wait for the City job to become available.
Who is the right man?
He may be an unpopular appointment, but Southgate is probably the right man for the United job right now. Southgate knows how to handle media pressure. He was England manager for eight years, after all.
Granted, Southgate hasn’t managed at club level since 2009. And there is a risk that comes from bringing in the former England head coach. That said, Southgate would provide a much-needed steady hand at the Old Trafford helm. After a few rollercoaster years, United need stability.
It may not be pretty, but Southgate would be ideal for United as Amorim’s replacement.
