Ruben Amorim’s first season at Old Trafford was brutal. Appointed mid-campaign following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, he inherited a side in disarray and lacking both direction and cohesion. A 15th-place finish—the club’s worst in over half a century—was the result. As he admitted in a candid interview with The Times, the final weeks were painful.
“The hardest part,” he said, “was going to games and knowing we weren’t going to be competitive.” That level of uncertainty, of walking into matches braced for failure, weighed heavily on him.
Yet just over two months since United’s final-day victory over Aston Villa, Amorim speaks with a renewed confidence. The tour of the United States has helped forge a collective mentality among those still part of the squad, while changes behind the scenes are bringing structure to a club that has sorely lacked it in recent years.
“I’m more excited now. I’ve learned a lot, even in small things,” Amorim says. He believes not only in the squad’s potential but also in his own evolution as a coach. That growth, he insists, will help United improve this season—and beyond.
Some players, however, were deemed incompatible with that vision. Marcus Rashford was sent on loan to Barcelona, while Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Jadon Sancho, and Alejandro Garnacho have been training away from the first team and are expected to leave. Amorim bears no ill will, even toward Garnacho, whose high-profile disagreement with the manager last December ultimately did not hinder his reintegration—at least temporarily.
“He’s a really talented boy,” Amorim said, acknowledging that some relationships simply don’t click. “Sometimes, players want a different kind of leadership. I understand that.”
In contrast, those who have remained with the squad have embraced the challenge. Amorim sees genuine potential not just to return to European competition but also, in time, to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League titles. The source of his optimism lies not solely in player quality but in a broader cultural shift he has helped initiate.
“The culture change is a club thing, not just a manager thing,” he explains. “We’ve improved in every department—medical, nutrition. We have a new chef, new rules.” These rules aren’t infantilising, he insists, but designed to foster professional accountability. “These players are men. They have sons. But if you don’t train properly, I have footage. And I’ll show it in front of everyone.”
This accountability extends beyond his own authority. Amorim has established a leadership group headed by captain Bruno Fernandes and comprising experienced voices like Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Tom Heaton, Lisandro Martínez, and Noussair Mazraoui. It’s a structural change he couldn’t implement mid-season but now forms the cornerstone of his long-term rebuilding process.
Last year, Amorim admits, he felt shackled. “It was like going into a fight with my hands tied behind my back,” he reflects. “Now we’re in a better place. But we’ve only just begun.”
There was never any thought of walking away, not even during the bleakest stretches. “It took me five years to choose this club,” Amorim says. “I don’t want to fail. That’s the only pressure I feel.”
It helps that his standing within the club’s hierarchy is solid. Amorim enjoys strong relationships with technical director Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada. His rapport with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, INEOS’s figurehead and part-owner, is particularly telling. The two exchange WhatsApp messages regularly—some involving gifs, others rather more blunt in tone. Amorim doesn’t mince words with the British billionaire.
“I say what I need to say, always respectfully. But I don’t bulls**t,” Amorim says with a chuckle. “And I think Jim appreciates that.”
Embed from Getty Images
While such honesty may ruffle feathers in the dressing room, it appears to resonate with those running the club. But results, of course, are what ultimately matter. A pair of friendly wins over West Ham and Bournemouth have injected some optimism, but a tougher test awaits against Arsenal on opening day. Amorim is clear-eyed about the challenge and what his team must do to rise to it.
“We need more emotion in the team,” he explains. “Emotion leads to sacrifice, pace, energy. Competition will help—look at Cunha, Mount, Bruno, Mainoo. We’ve got real battles for places now.”
And crucially, with no European distractions, Amorim sees this as a foundational year. “We need to set the standards now. Then we’ll be ready for the next season.”
He’s not wasting time wondering how to close the gap to Manchester City and Liverpool—not yet. His priority is fixing what’s broken at United. But the long-term outlook is hopeful.
“This club has pedigree, history, fans. We have that. Then the money—we have it now and we’ll have more in the future. And with the right culture, we’ll return to our place.”
For a manager who endured such a bruising introduction to life at Old Trafford, Amorim’s belief in the future is striking. And if his actions match his words, Manchester United’s long search for stability might—just might—be nearing its end.
