Ruben Amorim lost the Europa League final to a historically bad Tottenham side and himself said he was willing to leave “without conversation or compensation” if he was not wanted by Manchester United.
In truth he will surely be given a summer to build a squad closer to something that suits his formation.
So who could take over at Manchester United; we have the big names with the latest odds here…
9=) Zinedine Zidane
People keep trying to make Zinedine Zidane to United happen. It’s not going to happen.
9=) Roberto De Zerbi
The current Marseille manager will remain high on any list of possible managers for any big Premier League club because he ‘knows the league’, doesn’t he?
6=) Unai Emery
Might be the one high-profile Premier League manager for whom the Man United job holds more appeal than Man City. He’s already had one crack at replacing a Big Six legend whose fingerprints are all over the club. At least with United he’s a good few steps removed from all that. But swapping what he’s got going at Villa for United would still be a questionable move.
6=) Marco Silva
Has done quietly brilliant things at Fulham, but would Manchester United settle for quietly brilliant things? They probably should.
6=) Andoni Iraola
Figures high in the betting for any big Premier League job after improbably taking Bournemouth into the higher reaches of the Premier League table. But it’s a big old leap in pressure.
5) Kieran McKenna
His agent played a blinder as reported interest from Manchester United and Chelsea led to a four-year contract at Ipswich that made him one of the best-paid managers in the Premier League. But would United fans really countenance the appointment of a relegated manager?
4) Thomas Frank
Linked with Tottenham and somehow that feels more likely than the big old leap to Manchester United from the safety and low expectations of Brentford, who really don’t care that he plays direct football. He was the favourite of Dan Ashworth but he is long gone.
3) Gareth Southgate
Very strongly linked with the Manchester United job last summer after somehow taking England to another European final. He would not be a popular appointment, but the good news for United fans is that it won’t happen. He said as recently as October: “I won’t coach in the next year for sure, I’m certain of that. I need to give myself time to make good decisions. When you come out of a really big role you need to give your body time, you need to give your mind time. I’m enjoying my life, so there’s no rush.”
That hasn’t stopped him being described as a “master of manipulation” and being tipped for the big job, mind.
2) Mauricio Pochettino
Chelsea chose the path of abject stupidity and it appeared to leave the path clear for United to pounce on a manager they had coveted back in his Tottenham days. They decided to eschew that option in favour of sticking with what’s been working so very well for them.
Any second thoughts United might have on that bit of decision making during this season are for now much futile, with Pochettino having taken the USA job.
1) Oliver Glasner
That FA Cup win with Crystal Palace has led the Austrian to be one of the favourites for the Spurs job and now top of the list here…