Ruben Amorim backed to quit Man Utd and secure return to Portugal

Steve Pearson 20 Feb 2025 11:13 AM

Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim with the Manchester United club crest behind him

Ruben Amorim could decide Manchester United are a problem not worth solving and quit the club to return to Portugal, according to one observer.

Man Utd are on their sixth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, with Ruben Amorim the latest tasked with bringing the glory days back to Old Trafford. David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag all succumbed to the weight of expectations in Manchester.

Amorim has made a slow start to life at United, with the Red Devils winning just nine of his first 21 matches in charge.

That equates to a modest 42.86 win percentage, which is more than 10 percent below the figures returned by predecessors Ten Hag (54.69) and Solskjaer (54.17).

The Daily Mail claimed a section of the Man Utd squad are already voicing doubts over Amorim’s system and tactics. The manager implemented his customary 3-4-2-1 formation from day one, though there’s been no new manager bounce.

However, the Mail as well as GMS both claimed Amorim’s position is not under threat. Man Utd still believe the Portuguese is the right man to take United forward and he won’t be judged until he possesses a squad more suited to his demands.

But according to pundit and former England striker, Stan Collymore, Amorim could decide enough is enough and return to Portugal.

“For Man United, they’ve got the right man, but instead of sacking him, it might be a case of him having had enough and going back to Portugal,” wrote Collymore in his column for CaughtOffside.

“Jose Mourinho was vocal about what’s wrong at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag said it. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said it. Every single Man United manager over the last seven or eight years has said it and they were all right. And that’s the worry.

“I don’t worry about Man United moving on from Ruben Amorim but my worry is that Ruben Amorim will move on from Man United.”

Major surgery on United’s overpaid and underperforming squad is required before Amorim can begin to dream of United winning titles again.

However, the budget for the summer – just as it was last month – is expected to be limited prior to player sales.

Could Ruben Amorim return to Sporting CP?

It has been well documented Amorim would have preferred to join Man Utd next summer rather than mid-season.

Yet with United pulling the trigger on Ten Hag in October, the opportunity arose sooner than expected and Amorim took a leap of faith.

The Sporting side he departed have crumbled in his absence. After winning their first 11 matches in the Primeira Liga, Sporting dropped points in six of their next 11.

What was once a commanding lead atop the table has been cut to two points, with Benfica now poised to strike in second place.

The club also exited the Champions League with a whimper on Wednesday night when defeated 3-0 on aggregate by Borussia Dortmund who themselves are floundering in the bottom half of the Bundesliga this season.

Amorim’s immediate successor in Lisbon, Joao Pereira, lasted just eight matches before being sacked. Rui Borges was appointed in late-December, though has won less than 50 percent of his matches so far (five wins in 11).

Nonetheless, it would still come as a major shock to see Amorim give up on the project he’s only just embarked on at Man Utd.

Aside from Collymore’s speculation, there is no evidence to suggest Amorim and Man Utd will part ways any time soon.