Ranking the 18 Ruben Amorim replacements Man Utd are linked with – and why Glasner’s only 9th | OneFootball

After Ruben Amorim’s 14-month tenure at Old Trafford came to an abrupt end, Manchester United are now on the lookout for their next manager.

Darren Fletcher is in charge for their game against Burnley, and Manchester United are expected to appoint another interim manager until the end of the season.

They will consider their options over the next six months before hiring a permanent successor to Amorim ahead of the 2026/27 season.

We’ve ranked every manager linked with the permanent United job based on how well we think they’d do in the role.

18. Gareth Southgate

During his seven-and-a-half-year tenure as England boss, Southgate revolutionised the culture of the national team and guided the country to two European Championship finals.

Former United sporting director Dan Ashworth pushed for Southgate to become the side’s next manager following Erik ten Hag’s departure in 2024 but was ultimately overruled by chief executive Omar Berrada, who preferred Amorim.

While Ashworth has since left his role at Old Trafford, United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is also understood to be a big fan of the 55-year-old.

But his only previous experience in club management came at Middlesbrough, and he was unable to prevent their relegation from the Premier League in 2008/09.

17. Fabian Hurzeler

Hurzeler replaced Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton in the summer of 2024 and became the youngest ever full-time manager of a Premier League team.

The 32-year-old led the Seagulls to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League in 2024/25 and also oversaw a league double over United, winning 2-1 at home and 3-1 at Old Trafford.

He has reportedly emerged as a potential option to replace Amorim, but a move to the United dugout at this stage in his promising career could be too big a leap.

16. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Solskjaer was sacked by United in November 2021 but could now be set to return to Old Trafford as interim boss until the end of the 2025/26 season.

While it could be a smart move to help steady the ship at Old Trafford, the 52-year-old reportedly wants the job on a permanent basis and has already shown that he isn’t the long-term answer.

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the bench at a Manchester United game

15. Michael Carrick

Alongside Solskjaer, Carrick would also be a suitable interim manager but the next permanent United manager needs to have a top-class coaching pedigree.

14. Zinedine Zidane

While Zidane enjoyed two trophy-laden spells with a star-studded Real Madrid squad, he is yet to manage any other club and has also admitted that he can’t speak English.

13. Francesco Farioli

Having worked under Ratcliffe and INEOS at OGC Nice in the 2023/24 season, Farioli is reportedly one of the managers under consideration at United.

The 36-year-old is currently in charge of Porto and has impressed in 2025/26, but appointing another young manager from the Portuguese league would be a risky move.

12. Eddie Howe

Howe has managed over 200 Premier League games in his career and recently guided Newcastle United to their first domestic trophy in 70 years with their victory in the Carabao Cup final last season.

His man-management style could work at Old Trafford, but he has been accused of tactical inflexibility and a reluctance to take risks, prompting comparisons with Amorim.

11. Enzo Maresca

Maresca enjoyed a successful 18-month stint at Chelsea, winning the Conference League and Club World Cup with the Blues, while also securing a fourth-place Premier League finish in his only full season at the club.

He’s now a free agent and a move to Old Trafford could be on the cards as he worked closely with United CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox when all three men were employed by Manchester City.

But like Amorim, the 45-year-old has faced criticism for some of his tactical decisions and was ultimately sacked following a breakdown in relations with the club’s hierarchy.

10. Mauricio Pochettino

United hold a long-standing interest in Pochettino and looked set to appoint him as Mourinho’s successor in 2019, but Solskjaer’s initial success as interim manager prompted a U-turn.

The former Southampton and Tottenham manager also missed out on the Old Trafford job in the summer of 2023 after they decided to hire Erik ten Hag.

He returned to the Premier League with Chelsea but was sacked after just one season and is now the head coach of the United States, who are preparing to host the World Cup this year.

The 53-year-old is reportedly on United’s shortlist once again, but his reputation has taken a hit in recent years and while he may have been the right candidate at one point, now doesn’t feel like the right time.

9. Oliver Glasner

While Amorim struggled to implement his 3-4-2-1 formation at United, Glasner uses a similar system at Crystal Palace and has received widespread acclaim for his work at Selhurst Park.

He delivered the club’s first-ever major trophy after beating Manchester City in the 2024/25 FA Cup final, but his contract is due to expire at the end of the 2025/26 season.

Insiders indicate that the 53-year-old has rejected multiple improved contract offers from Palace in recent months, and he is one of the clear favourites among the United board and hierarchy.

But Burnley and Sunderland are the only Premier League sides to have a lower possession average than Palace’s 43.3 per cent this season and Glasner’s style of play makes him a poor fit for a team expected to dominate the ball.

8. Marco Silva

Silva won the Championship title in his debut season at Fulham and has since made the Cottagers an established Premier League outfit, finishing 10th, 13th and 11th in the last three seasons.

The 48-year-old was heavily linked with the United job before his compatriot Amorim took over in November 2024, and he still has a lot of admirers at Old Trafford.

He has entered the final six months of his contract at Craven Cottage and now appears ready for an opportunity at one of the bigger clubs.

Fulham manager Marco Silva

7. Kieran McKenna

McKenna worked at United as part of Jose Mourinho’s and Solskjaer’s coaching teams before taking over at Ipswich Town in December 2021.

Back-to-back promotions saw the Tractor Boys reach the Premier League for the first time in over 20 years, with the manager attracting interest from United, Chelsea and Brighton in the process.

While Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League in 2024/25, the 39-year-old is still regarded as one of the most exciting young coaches in English football and has a bright future ahead of him.

6. Roberto De Zerbi

De Zerbi enjoyed a two-year stint in the Premier League at Brighton & Hove Albion, where his exciting and progressive style of play earned widespread acclaim.

The 46-year-old reportedly rejected a contract offer from United in the summer of 2024 before taking over at Marseille, who are currently third in Ligue 1.

Sources suggest key figures at Old Trafford continue to view him as a strong candidate, and he would be very interested in joining the club at the end of the season.

5. Xavi

While Xavi doesn’t have any experience working in the Premier League, he knows how to deal with the pressures of managing one of the biggest clubs in the world.

The former Spain international spent two-and-a-half years in the Barcelona dugout and won the LaLiga title in 2022/23. He reportedly held talks with United after leaving Camp Nou in the summer of 2024 and is still out of work.

“I can guarantee to you on Xavi Hernandez, as I also get many questions from Xavi and Manchester United, that Xavi is studying Premier League,” Fabrizio Romano confirmed.

“Xavi is monitoring the Premier League. And Xavi would go immediately to Man United, even without European football, he would go immediately to the Premier League. So he would love a Premier League opportunity.”

4. Andoni Iraola

Since taking over at Bournemouth in the summer of 2024, Iraola has impressed with his attacking philosophy and ability to punch above their weight with limited resources.

The 43-year-old also helped the Cherries secure club-record Premier League points totals in each of his first two seasons in charge (48 in 2023/24 and 56 last season).

While they are currently on an 11-game winless run in 2025/26, he did have to sell a number of key players in the summer transfer window and that wouldn’t be the case at United.

3. Julian Nagelsmann

Nagelsmann forged a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting coaches during his time at RB Leipzig, and it cost Bayern Munich £21.7million to secure his signature in 2021.

He had a mixed spell at Bayern and is now in charge of the German national team, but could potentially look to return to club football after the 2026 World Cup.

United recruitment director Christopher Vivell is reportedly pushing for the 38-year-old after working with him at RB Leipzig, and he would be a great appointment.

2. Unai Emery

Following an ill-fated spell in charge of Arsenal, Emery rebuilt his reputation at Villarreal before taking over at Aston Villa in October 2022.

Villa have undergone a remarkable transformation under his stewardship, going from genuine relegation candidates to Champions League quarter-finalists and now potential Premier League title challengers.

The 54-year-old could potentially have a similar impact at United, although it remains to be seen if he is currently willing to swap Villa Park for Old Trafford.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery

1. Thomas Tuchel

Alongside Nagelsmann, Tuchel will also be working at the World Cup when United begin pre-season training this summer, but he would undoubtedly be worth the wait.

The 52-year-old is regarded as one of the best managers in the world and has the stature to handle the pressure that the United job entails, having won trophies at Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

United should’ve hired him in the summer of 2024, but they’ll have the chance to fix their mistake when his England contract expires at the end of the World Cup.