Man Utd's Six Manager Targets Revealed: Who They Pursued Before Landing Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim was reportedly not included in Manchester United's initial list of candidates to succeed former boss Erik ten Hag, according to recent claims.
United notably conducted an end-of-season evaluation of Ten Hag's performance while simultaneously engaging with several alternative managers during summer 2024, ultimately choosing after weeks of deliberation to offer the Dutch coach a contract extension.
However, merely months afterward, Ten Hag was dismissed and United secured an agreement to appoint Amorim who, based on The Athletic's reporting, wasn't part of the original shortlist due to his absence of Premier League coaching experience.
While United contemplated dismissing Ten Hag, they considered pursuing a manager with demonstrated success in England's premier division and someone capable of working within the existing squad framework.
The six-person shortlist included Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Graham Potter. Tuchel and De Zerbi became the leading contenders, with the latter ultimately securing that position before United decided to continue with Ten Hag.
How Man Utd Eventually Hired Ruben Amorim
Importantly, reports indicate that Amorim's name surfaced frequently during summer discussions in casual conversations with representatives and various industry figures as United solicited professional guidance on identifying football's emerging managerial talent.
Preliminary discussions occurred with Amorim and, despite the former Sporting CP manager making a positive impression, United executives worried that appointing a manager lacking Premier League credentials would be imprudent during a period of substantial organizational restructuring. Ten Hag consequently stayed and received a contract renewal, with plans to recruit Amorim seemingly postponed.
Only after Ten Hag's eventual dismissal in October 2024 did club leadership revisit the possibility of hiring Amorim, with unanimous agreement that the Portuguese coach should be targeted.
While the inherent risk of appointing a manager without Premier League background was evident, given this was a mid-season hiring, United were content to treat the latter portion of the 2024–25 season as Amorim's opportunity to gain English football experience.
Amorim has acknowledged that his initial six months in charge were marked by frustration and turmoil, to the extent that he genuinely contemplated leaving the club following their Europa League final defeat.