Ruben Amorim Man Utd future: Gareth Southgate stance, resignation fears, sack timeframe

Ruben Amorim is feeling the heat after a disappointing start to the season for Manchester United. The Portuguese has only managed to secure 19 victories from 49 games during his first 11 months at the helm.

Despite guiding the team to the Europa League final, he has struggled to make an impact on the domestic front. After a dismal 15th-place finish in the 2024/25 season, United are currently languishing in 14th position this term, with a mere two wins from six matches.

Rumours are swirling that the 40-year-old's job could be on the line if there is not a significant improvement in results and performances. However, according to the Manchester Evening News, the United board still fully supports him for now, and with that in mind, we look at some of the latest news regarding the future of the former Sporting CP head coach.

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Southgate not keen

If Amorim gets the boot, Gareth Southgate would reportedly turn down any offer from United. The former England manager was previously one of the top candidates to take over at United in March 2024.

Although Southgate's commitment to England ahead of the European Championship put a stop to United's plans to enter discussions at that time, he is currently without a club. However, the Daily Star reports that Southgate is in no hurry to return to football and is keeping his options open.

Interestingly, Southgate is good mates with Dan Ashworth. The former United sporting director had a long-term plan to bring Southgate to Old Trafford during his tenure, but left after just five months.

Time for a shake-up

Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith believes that Amorim's tenure at United is nearing its end, stating that the manager has reached a point of no return. "It's got to that point of no return, I don't think things are going to get better," Smith told Sky Sports News.

"He's been in the hot seat for coming up to a year, and he's had a transfer window, but you can't see any signs of improvement. There have been one or two matches where we've seen flashes of potential; they [United] played quite well against Arsenal on the opening day, but still lost.

"I've never seen a manager conduct their business the way that Ruben Amorim is at the moment. It's a well-trodden path about his system and the fact that it maybe doesn't suit a lot of the players.

"But you're not telling me he shouldn't be doing better, even with that system. You look at the players at the back - Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire - Bruno Fernandes going forward, [Matheus] Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo. They've got good players.

"It doesn't look like the right fit, and that's putting it mildly. There's a lot of talk that they're not going to sack him until a certain date towards the end of this year to save a pay-off. It's difficult to read the minds of the hierarchy at United as to what they're thinking, but I think they know, and everyone will be telling them that it is time for a change."

'Not absolutely safe'

Few seem convinced that Amorim's position remains secure, with journalist Fabrizio Romano indicating that, whilst the manager won't face immediate dismissal, forthcoming fixtures could prove decisive. "I'm not here saying that Amorim is absolutely safe," he said.

"Amorim's job is not absolutely safe at the moment because they need to perform in a different way because Man United want to see results. But it doesn't mean that Manchester United have met with Southgate or already started the process to appoint Gareth Southgate as new boss.

"So let's wait, let's see what happens. But for sure, the next games will be important for Ruben Amorim."

Timeline and resignation concerns

Amorim might have just one additional month to persuade United bosses he deserves backing. Reports previously suggested that United could postpone any dismissal of Amorim until he completes a year in charge, owing to the significant compensation package he would be entitled to.

According to the Daily Mail, United would face a substantial £12m bill should they axe the 40-year-old before he reaches 12 months in charge. Conversely, there are worries that Amorim might be the one to trigger his departure.

United's co-owners, Ineos, are reportedly concerned that their manager could opt to quit before facing the sack in an attempt to protect his managerial standing. He is reputed to grow increasingly exasperated by the relentless criticism following defeats.

As per The i Newspaper, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are ready to back their manager, but Amorim may soon need to consider resigning to 'preserve his managerial career'. The United boss believes that evaluations of United's losses can be 'knee-jerk' reactions and is allegedly surprised by the intense scrutiny over his managerial tenure.

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