Amorim Sacked: Next Man United Manager Odds

Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim after a little over a year in charge. The former Sporting boss had overseen a number of poor results of late and never looked perfectly settled in the role. The Red Devils seemed to have turned a corner earlier in the season when they won three in a row, including a 2-1 success at Anfield, to move up the table.

However, their subsequent home loss to Everton, who played with 10 men for 77 minutes, was very poor. In their next home game United could only manage a 1-1 draw with struggling West Ham. Amorim’s last two games in charge were both 1-1 draws too. His penultimate match was particularly galling as they were arguably fortunate to get a point at Old Trafford against a Wolves team that had lost 16 of their 18 Premier League games at that stage!

As bad as their results may have been, the Red Devils were sixth in the table at the time of Amorim’s sacking, level with Chelsea and just three points behind champions Liverpool. Compared to recent times, that was starting to look like progress. We believe it is very likely that United did not sack the Portuguese because of results, but due to off-pitch issues.

Ahead of his last game in charge, a 1-1 draw away at rivals Leeds, he made cryptic comments about transfer activity. Afterwards, he stated that he came to the club to “be the manager, not to be the coach”. There have been rumours of a fallout with the director of football, Jason Wilcox, too. Moreover, other reports suggested that United’s head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, had pushed Amorim to move away from his beloved 3-4-3 system.

Ultimately, it seems like a number of factors have contributed to Amorim leaving. The club statement was brief, saying that “Ruben Amorim has departed his role as head coach of Manchester United.” It went on to say “With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.”

Recent results, especially at home, have not been good enough. However, it seems that disagreements about transfers and control were probably bigger factors than that. Amorim argued that other managers did not have to deal with the level of interference that he did. On Sunday, he said that it would be like that for 18 months (the remainder of his contract) “or when the board decides to change”. Well, the board has spoken!

Next Manchester United Manager Betting and Odds

We get the feeling that the sacking of Amorim was not entirely planned. Therefore, we suspect the club’s hierarchy do not already have someone lined up. However, they will have been monitoring the situation and will not be starting the search for a replacement from scratch. In a fast-moving situation, first-team coach Darren Fletcher is set to take charge for at least the next game. After that, the club is expected to install a caretaker boss until the end of the season. That caretaker boss, who is not confirmed at the time of writing, may or may not subsequently be appointed on a permanent basis.

So where does that leave those seeking to bet on the next Manchester United manager? Well, it might well depend on the individual rules the bookmakers apply to the ‘next manager’ (or similarly named) market. Most will require the manager in question to be appointed on a permanent basis (as if such a thing exists in football!). So if the club specifically states a coach is employed as a caretaker until the end of the season, it is likely the bookies will refrain from paying out until the club confirms that a permanent manager is in place.

With that in mind, assuming the suggestions in the media about a caretaker boss are true, punters might be waiting a while for payouts. On the other hand, some bookies will pay out once a manager has been in charge for 10 competitive games, so whoever is named as the caretaker boss could lead to bookies paying out. It’s wise to check the specific betting rules with your chosen bookmaker.

That being said, let’s take a look at the current odds for the next Man United manager.

Man United Next Manager Odds – As It Stands

Next-manager betting is notoriously volatile. An unfounded internet rumour can easily spark a few bets and bookies will slash their odds. Below is an indication of the current betting, though this is likely to change very quickly as some managers rule themselves out and others are subject to significant gambles.

• Oliver Glasner, 4/1
• Darren Fletcher, 5/1
• Enzo Maresca, 11/2
• Gareth Southgate, 10/1
• Xavi Hernandez, 12/1
• Michael Carrick, 16/1
• Kieran McKenna, 16/1
• Laurent Blanc, 25/1

There are many other names being bandied around online too. Some are clearly rather fanciful, such as Wayne Rooney, Jose Mourinho, and Graham Potter. However, this is certainly a market where surprises happen, and long-odds winners can be found. Below, we look at some of the most interesting bets.

Darren Fletcher

As mentioned, Darren Fletcher is taking the reins in the very short term. He is apparently not being lined up to take charge for the remainder of the season, however. As such, and given his total lack of managerial experience, he is not the most obvious pick to be handed the role on a permanent basis. However, the former coach of Man United Under-18s should be in charge for their next clash against Burnley. That gives Fletcher the chance to audition for the role against a weak side, although it might prove his only chance. The Scot played 342 times for United and won eight major trophies at Old Trafford. His honours haul includes five Premier League titles and the Champions League as well. Consequently, he is sure to receive the backing of the fans.

Few expect him to become the next long-term manager of United. With many top targets potentially coming available in the summer, it is certainly possible that the board may entrust Fletcher to steer the ship until the end of the current campaign, which would make odds of 5/1 look very generous indeed.

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace boss Glasner has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for some time. His contract expires at the end of the season, and he seems likely to leave the Eagles. He has done a brilliant job since taking over in February 2024. He won the 2025 FA Cup with Palace, having previously won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt.

His teams play exciting football, and his preference for three at the back would mean there was some continuity in terms of style. However, would United wait until the summer to appoint him? Or would they pay to bring him to Old Trafford as soon as possible?

Enzo Maresca

Maresca left Chelsea just four days before United ditched Amorim, which we might suggest is rather convenient timing. The Italian learnt a lot under Pep Guardiola as boss of Man City’s U23 side. Indeed, many pundits have mentioned Maresca as a possible successor to Pep. That alone would make him a real coup for United.

He was brilliant with Leicester, guiding them to the Championship title. That earned him the Chelsea job. Many feel he did a good job at Stamford Bridge. He helped the Blues win the Conference League. Additionally, they totally outplayed a brilliant PSG outfit to land the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Maresca would bring exciting, attacking football to Old Trafford. However, would the board want to appoint someone who fell out with the Chelsea owners in a similar way to Amorim and his employers at United?

Time will tell what is next for Man United. Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino are just three more names to consider. However, we feel the club hierarchy will take their time about this next appointment – but the man they name as caretaker will have a great extended audition to gain the confidence of the club’s fans and owners.