Ruben Amorim sacking: Glasner, Maresca and Xavi among early contenders to take over at Manchester United

Ruben Amorim was sacked as Manchester United head coach on Monday after a miserable 14 months in charge.

United said in a statement that the Portuguese, who took charge in November 2024, had left the role, with the club’s leadership having “reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change”.

The club added in the statement: “This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.”

United are currently sixth in the top flight after a 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday. After that game, an irate Amorim stressed he is Manchester United’s manager rather than just the coach during an incendiary press conference in which he told the scouting department and sporting director “to do their job”. That outburst appears to have been the final straw. Below are six potential successors being linked with the role.

Oliver Glasner

The Austrian guided Crystal Palace to their first ever major trophy last May as they defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final and then beat Liverpool in the Community Shield.

The Eagles have reached as high as fourth place in the Premier League this term – despite losing key attacker Eberechi Eze over the summer – but Glasner is out of contract at the end of the season and appears reluctant to commit to a new deal.

Enzo Maresca

Marecsa is a free agent having just been sacked as Chelsea manager after falling out with his bosses at Stamford Bridge, despite winning the Europa Conference League and the Fifa Club World Cup within a couple of months.

He had led Leicester City to promotion back to the Premier League the previous season and is reported to be in the running to replace Pep Guardiola when the Spaniard's trophy-laden spell in charge of Manchester City eventually comes to an end.

Xavi Hernandez

The Spaniard, one of the greatest midfielders of the modern era, is reported to be positioned strongly among potential candidates and is currently without a club. Xavi, 45, won La Liga in 2022/23 with Barcelona but has been waiting for a new opportunity since departing the Camp Nou in May 2024 with a 63 per cent win ratio from his 142 games in charge.

Unai Emery

The Spaniard, 54, did incredible work at a host of La Liga clubs and is now excelling at Aston Villa, taking them from a relegation fight to the Champions League in no time.

A tricky summer in the market led to a slow start to 2025/26, but an incredible winning sequence has hoisted Villa to the fringes of the title battle.

If United were looking to appoint the pound-for-pound best coach in the Premier League right now, then Emery would be right near the top of the list.

Gareth Southgate

Southgate has been out of work since stepping down from the England job after eight years in charge following defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024.

The 55-year-old has on