Oliver Glasner is thought to be a contender for Man Utd if Ruben Amorim was to leave.placeholder image
Oliver Glasner is thought to be a contender for Man Utd if Ruben Amorim was to leave. | Getty Images
Oliver Glasner is believed to be on Man Utd’s shortlist if Ruben Amorim was to depart
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim remains one of the favourites to be the next managerial casualty in the Premier League despite his side’s recent 2-0 win over Sunderland.
Amorim inherited the team from Erik ten Hag nearly 12 months ago in November and is still yet to prove that he has what it takes to lead the team back to its former glory. He’s had 50 games in charge, won 19, drawn 12 and lost 19 - giving him an overall win percentage of 38 across all competitions. The team are yet to win back-to-back league games under the Portuguese coach and recently experienced their worst league campaign in more than 50 years by finishing in 15th position.
They are also not competing in a European competition after losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final and have already missed out on one of their routes back into the competition after being eliminated in the Carabao Cup against League Two side Grimsby Town.
Amorim has been told by Jim Ratcliffe that he has three years to prove his worth, which would make him the club’s second longest serving manager in the Premier League era behind Alex Ferguson, who endured lows in his early years during the 1980s. However, it’s hard to imagine that bold statement coming true unless United show greater consistency on the pitch.
United are a club that historically speaking have always prided themselves on giving managers time, and many would be concerned by the prospect of getting rid of Amorim when he’s only had a couple of windows to mould a team into his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. This could potentially be resolved if they brought in someone like Oliver Glasner that has worked wonders with a similar system at Crystal Palace. But which players would he be likely to try and entice to Old Trafford if that scenario was to occur?
Marc Guehi
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi is regarded as one of the finest central defenders in the Premier League and he continues to grow from strength to strength with each passing season. He was a stalwart for England in the run-up to the Euro 2024 final and if fit looks almost certain to be the leading centre-back in North America next summer.
Guehi was close to a £35m move to Liverpool before discussions broke down on deadline day but could be available on a free transfer by the time next summer rolls around. It’d be a hard one to get over the line but undoubtedly a huge upgrade on United’s existing options. And his relationship with Glasner might just get a possible deal over the line.
Daniel Munoz
The Red Devils like to play with wing-backs, and one of the best in the business at playing that specific role at present in English football is Daniel Munoz. The 29-year-old Colombian international scored four times and provided five assists in the league last year and is a constant threat going forward due to his immense, tenacity, workrate and attacking quality.
He provided the assist for the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City and also scored twice in that competition against Doncaster Rovers and Millwall as the Eagles lifted their first piece of silverware.
Munoz is under contract until 2028 but given his suitability to the system and his age could be the ideal player for United’s style of play as he has all the characteristics the club would want from a wing-back.
Adam Wharton
Viewed as one of the top young defensive midfielders in the Premier League, it’s hard to see why Adam Wharton hasn’t got more than one solitary England cap based on his performances for Crystal Palace over the last 12 months.
The former Blackburn Rovers man reads the game exceptionally well, can pick out excellent passes in tight areas and is blessed with incredible stamina and the ability to break up opposition attacks. He’s been linked with United in the pastbut is also attracting interest from a number of English football’s biggest clubs.
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