Ruben Amorim set for unexpected Man Utd reunion as new job lined up

Ruben Amorim is in talks over a new job six months after he was sacked by Manchester United following a breakdown in relationships at the club

Manchester United could cross paths with former head coach Ruben Amorim as he is reportedly on the brink of securing a new role.

Despite his catastrophic tenure at Old Trafford that led to his sacking in January, the Portuguese manager has been in discussions about taking the reins at AC Milan. Reports suggest Amorim is the frontrunner for the San Siro position, following the departure of Massimiliano Allegri. Amorim is believed to have had direct conversations regarding the job.

He is reportedly leading the race ahead of contenders such as Oliver Glasner, Mauricio Pochettino and Sebastian Hoeness. If appointed, he could potentially join forces with another ex-United boss, Ralf Rangnick, who is rumoured to be in the running for the head of football position.

If Amorim does take up the AC Milan managerial post, it won’t be long before he faces United for the first time since his departure. The Reds have confirmed they will square off against the Italian side in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday, August 15 in Wroclaw, Poland.

This encounter will occur eight months after Amorim was dismissed as United’s head coach in January. His sacking followed an extraordinary outburst from the coach about the deterioration of his relationships with club executives.

“I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that,” he stated. “That is going to finish in 18 months, and then everyone is going to move on.

“That was the deal. That is my job, not to be a coach. If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticises of everything, we need to change the club. No, no guys, I would say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach. Every department, the scouting department, the sport director needs to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on. Thank you, guys.”

The 41-year-old held the reins at Old Trafford for just over a year, having taken up the post in November 2024. During his 64-match tenure, United chalked up 25 victories, suffered 23 defeats and drew 15 times.

He was succeeded by Michael Carrick, who initially stepped in on a temporary basis. The ex-United midfielder managed to turn the tide and clinch a Champions League spot for the upcoming season.

In his 17 games at the helm, United triumphed 12 times, drew three matches and were beaten twice. They wrapped up the season in third place in the Premier League standings.

Carrick’s position has since been made permanent, with the head coach playing a key role in gearing up for the new campaign. Ahead of the clash with AC Milan, United are set to face Wrexham, Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid and PSG in pre-season.