Who will replace Ruben Amorim at Manchester United? Assessing Enzo Maresca, Oliver Glasner, Sir Gareth Southgate and more
Published 05/01/2026 at 13:54 GMT
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Following Ruben Amorim's departure from Manchester United, here are the runners and riders in the race to replace him as manager at Old Trafford. As things stand, the bookies are backing the likes of former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, Crystal Palace chief Oliver Glasner and former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate, along with Darren Fletcher, Xavi Hernandez, Andoni Iraola and Michael Carrick.
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Ruben Amorim arrived at Old Trafford on a tidal wave of excitement, but after just 14 months in charge, he has been sacked.
A 1-1 draw with bitter rivals Leeds on Sunday and a bizarre outburst in the resulting press conference appears to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for Manchester United’s board, and now they are on the hunt for a new manager once again.
The Red Devils are currently in sixth place in the Premier League table, just three points behind Liverpool in fourth despite several underwhelming results this term.
However, United have made several managerial misfires since the departure of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, and they will be desperate to avoid another calamitous call.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the runners and riders in the race to become the next United manager.
Enzo Maresca
Like Amorim, Enzo Maresca had a difficult start to 2026.
The 45-year-old Italian left his role as head coach of Chelsea despite winning the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.
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He also guided Chelsea back into the UEFA Champions League after helping them secure a fourth-place finish in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.
Furthermore, he did that despite the club's chaotic business in the transfer market, which saw countless players come and go during his time in charge.
Maresca is currently one of the favourites to replace Amorim with the bookies, and considering his record in west London, you can understand why.
Oliver Glasner
Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation came under intense scrutiny during his time in Manchester, but Oliver Glasner has used a similar system to great effect with Crystal Palace.
The Austrian has taken The Eagles to new heights since arriving in February 2024, helping them win their first-ever major trophy last season, when they beat Manchester City at Wembley to win the FA Cup.
Palace have continued to fare well this term despite the departure of star player Eberechi Eze.
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They are currently just four points behind Chelsea in fifth place in the Premier League, and are through to the knockout phase play-offs of the UEFA Conference League.
With Glasner’s current deal at Selhurst Park set to expire at the end of the season, he could be an option in the summer.
Darren Fletcher
Darren Fletcher will hope to follow in the footsteps of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his time as interim manager of Manchester United.
Solskjaer was named interim head coach of The Reds following the departure of Jose Mourinho in December 2018, but he secured the role permanently during the 2018/19 campaign after a string of brilliant results.
Like his former teammate, Fletcher enjoyed a successful playing career at Old Trafford, winning five Premier League titles and the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League.
He will take charge of the team's Premier League clash with Burnley on Wednesday.
However, he has far less managerial experience than Solskjaer did when the Norwegian took the role on a temporary basis.
Sir Gareth Southgate
Sir Gareth Southgate knows a thing or two about banishing the demons of the past while at the helm of a great footballing institution.
The former Middlesbrough manager took charge of England in 2016 following the acrimonious departure of Sam Allardyce.
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He helped The Three Lions to the final of the UEFA European Championship in 2021 and again in 2024, with his side losing to Italy and Spain respectively.
His England team also inspired the nation at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where they were eliminated in the semi-finals by Croatia, and then reached the last eight in Qatar four years later.
Xavi Hernandez
Xavi Hernandez was part of the Barcelona sides that beat United in the 2009 and 2011 UEFA Champions League finals.
Following a successful playing career, he took charge of Qatari side Al Sadd before returning to Catalonia as Ronald Koeman’s replacement in November 2021.
As manager, he inspired Barca to the La Liga title during the 2022/23 season before being replaced by Hansi Flick in May 2024.
Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola has impressed as the manager of Bournemouth, helping The Cherries compete at the highest level despite several key departures during his time in charge.
They lost a number of their stars in the summer, including Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, and Illia Zabarnyi, who formed the spine of their imperious defence last term.
Bournemouth are currently 15th in the Premier League table, but there is no telling what Iraola could achieve if he is backed in the transfer market.
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Michael Carrick
Like Fletcher, Michael Carrick is a former Manchester United star. However, he has significant managerial experience.
The former England midfielder has previously been the United caretaker.
And he also enjoyed some success while managing Middlesbrough between 2022 and 2025.
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