Manchester United: Rio Ferdinand names his perfect Ruben Amorim replacements in four-man shortlist | OneFootball

Portuguese head coach was dismissed on Monday

Rio Ferdinand has named his four ideal candidates to become the new Manchester United manager.

The Portuguese had insisted that he had joined United to be “the manager” rather than “the coach”, although his job title - as outlined by the club upon his appointment - was that of ‘head coach’.

Now, the Red Devils are searching for a third manager to take charge under the INEOS reign, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his sporting board having sacked Erik ten Hag last season to bring in Amorim from Sporting Lisbon.

It has led Ferdinand, the former United defender, to draw up a four-man shortlist of managerial targets he feels would fit the bill.

“I would go for [Roberto] De Zerbi, [Thomas] Tuchel, Xavi or Darren Fletcher if he does well,” the ex-England international wrote on X.

Fletcher, the former United midfielder and current head coach of the club’s under-18 side, will take caretaker charge of the senior squad for the upcoming game against Burnley.

It is a similar role to that of Fletcher’s former team-mates Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick have undertaken while United search for a new boss.

De Zerbi, the former Brighton boss, is currently managing Marseille, who are third in Ligue 1.

He was left the Amex Stadium back in May 2024 by mutual consent, joining Marseille a month later.

Tuchel is the current England manager, and was previously in charge of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

He lifted the Champions League as Blues boss, but was eventually dismissed in 2022.

Xavi is presently without a position, having most recently been in charge of his boyhood club Barcelona.

Linked: Thomas Tuchel

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Under heavy financial constraints, the ex-Spain midfielder led the club to the La Liga title in 2023.

Before that, he began his managerial career at Al-Sadd in Qatar, where he finished his playing career.

Fletcher, meanwhile, has held myriad positions at United since hanging up his boots.

He has been a first-team coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, having returned to the club to manage the under-16 team.

He became United’s technical director in March 2021, holding the position until Jason Wilcox’s arrival in April 2024.

Interim boss: Darren Fletcher

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On his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said that he was not expecting Amorim to be given his marching orders.

"I didn’t anticipate this when I woke up this morning that Ruben Amorim would be getting the sack,” he said on Rio Ferdinand Presents.

“He was not in the four or five managers I thought would be getting the sack next.

"I am surprised but when you look at his record, in black and white, I’m not surprised. I think that has been definitive and the reason it’s been so sharp overnight [speaking out].

“Two managers have spoken out against the hierarchy now and been sacked immediately. But his record is the worst of any United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson.”

"This guy’s best trait and one of the most likeable things about him has been his ability to be quite punchy and upbeat in his press conferences. He had quite a jovial way about himself.

“The last two he did looked depressing. I didn’t say it because I get the ability to go into the training ground and see people at times.”

Drawing up the wishlist: Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand/YouTube

Ferdinand explained what he felt when he last visited Carrington and spent time with Amorim, admitting that the Portuguese was “cold” and that the ultimate decision to sack him had been “cooking before Christmas”.

"The last time I went there to interview Bruno [Fernandes], I saw the manager and we had a little chat for five or 10 minutes,” Ferdinand continued.

“He’s [usually] warm, he spends time with you, he’s an open book.

“When I went there the last time, I noticed immediately that there was a coldness about him. There was a real difference to what I’d seen before.

"Now I look back with hindsight, things were starting to cook before Christmas. This isn’t just an overnight thing, I don’t think, in terms of his dialogue with the hierarchy and the way he’s been feeling about things.

Cold: Ruben Amorim

Getty Images

“I felt this coldness that we’ve seen in the last two press conferences. I saw it in him.

"The training ground felt good and the vibe around the players. But he just felt a little bit distant. When I saw him last time he was a very different human being.

“I was thinking it was the wear and tear of a long, hard season and the pressure was getting to him a little bit, maybe he’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed.

“But now, looking back, this has been cooking before Christmas, 100 per cent."