Ranking the five favourites to replace Ruben Amorim as Man Utd manager
Ruben Amorim’s job as Manchester United manager is under increasing pressure following their latest Premier League defeat at Brentford – but who could replace him at Old Trafford?
United have won just two of their six Premier League matches this season and were beaten by Grimsby Town in the League Cup.
Amorim has taken just 34 points from 33 league matches since his appointment in November 2024, leading to several managers being linked with his position. We’ve ranked the top five bookmakers’ favourites.
Note: All betting odds per Sportscasting – correct as of 28/09/2025.
5. Xavi – 9/1
One of the greatest midfielders of all time, there was a not-unfounded feel that Xavi would be the next in line from Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola to play beautiful and winning football.
The reality was quite different. Leading Barcelona to the 2022-23 La Liga title was a fantastic achievement, particularly given the clubâs off-field issues.
But the style was lacking; defensively sound but underwhelmingly conservative football failed to make many hearts swoon.
Given United’s predicament, a focus on defensive organisation may not be the worst idea. Plus, Xavi is currently a free agent, appealing to Ratcliffe’s skinflint tendencies.
4. Andoni Iraola – 8/1
Iraola continues to turn heads down at Bournemouth, fashioning a fine Premier League side from loose buttons and belly button fluff.
While the Cherries aren’t paupers, they have sold several of their top-performing players in recent seasons without adversely affecting results on the pitch.
A report from our friends at TeamTalk suggests that Iraola is United’s preferred choice to take over from Amorim.
âUnitedâs hierarchy view Iraola as an elite coach capable of navigating the intense pressure of managing a global giant,’ the report says.
‘His ability to implement a cohesive system at Bournemouth, coupled with his success in developing young talents, has convinced United bosses of his readiness for a step up.’
3. Oliver Glasner – 7/1
Any manager who wins the FA Cup and Community Shield with Crystal Palace is likely to appear on the radar of the biggest clubs.
Glasner also won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, but it’s his achievements at Selhurst Park which have caught the eye.
He plays the same 3-4-2-1 formation as Amorim and is widely known to be keeping his options open after Palace almost sold captain Marc Guehi to Liverpool on transfer deadline day.
United could turn the finest wine into lukewarm water, but you’d imagine that Glasner would perform better than the current manager.
2. Gareth Southgate – 6/1
âYou canât say never to anything because 15 years ago I left Middlesbrough and I wasnât certain I would manage then,â Southgate told the PA news agency during his appearance at the 2025 PFA Awards.
âThen I ended up on a strange path into managing the national team. But itâs not something Iâm actively looking at at the moment.â
While Southgate is England’s most successful coach since Alf Ramsey, nobody knows how his particular skillset would translate to a club job.
Links with the United job refuse to go away, even after Dan Ashworth’s departure last season.
He boasts a brilliant track record of dealing with media scrutiny while building a more positive culture and winning mentality, qualities United are crying out for.
But nuts-and-bolts coaching, tactics and questions over in-game management remain.
1. Unai Emery – 4/1
It would be a significant coup if United managed to lure Emery to Old Trafford in their current state.
The Spaniard has transformed Aston Villa from relegation battlers to Champions League quarter-finalists, but seems to have hit a ceiling at Villa Park.
Restrained finances have led to a stale squad and a slow start to the 2025-26 season, with Emery openly disdainful of his team’s performances.
No matter how bad United are on the pitch, their financial ceiling is significantly higher than Villa’s. Emery would back himself to revive the fortunes of an ailing giant.
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