Manchester United could find themselves facing former head coach Ruben Amorim sooner than expected, as the Portuguese manager edges closer to a new appointment. Amorim has held talks regarding taking charge at AC Milan.
Reports suggest the former United boss is the frontrunner for the San Siro vacancy, following Massimiliano Allegri's departure, with direct discussions over the position already having taken place.
He is understood to be the preferred candidate ahead of Oliver Glasner, Mauricio Pochettino and Sebastian Hoeness. Should he land the role, he could find himself working alongside another former United manager, Ralf Rangnick, who is reportedly being considered for the head of football position at the Italian club.
Were Amorim to be appointed AC Milan manager, a reunion with United would not be far off. The Red Devils have confirmed they will face the Serie A giants in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday, August 15 in Wroclaw, Poland.
The encounter will arrive just eight months after Amorim was dismissed as United head coach in January, following a remarkable outburst in which he spoke candidly about the breakdown of his relationship with the club hierarchy.
"I just want to say that I'm going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that," he said. "That is going to finish in 18 months, and then everyone is going to move on.
"That was the deal. That is my job, not to be a coach. If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticises of everything, we need to change the club. No, no guys, I would say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach. Every department, the scouting department, the sport director needs to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on. Thank you, guys."
The 41-year-old was at the helm at Old Trafford for just over 12 months, having arrived in November 2024. During his 64 fixtures in charge, United secured 25 victories, suffered 23 defeats and recorded 15 draws.
He was succeeded by Michael Carrick, who initially took over on a temporary basis. The former United midfielder managed to reverse the club's fortunes and clinch Champions League qualification for next season.
Across his 17 matches at the helm, United claimed 12 wins, registered three draws and endured two losses. They concluded the campaign occupying third position in the Premier League standings.
Carrick's appointment has since been confirmed as permanent, with the head coach playing a significant role in preparations for the upcoming season. Prior to the fixture against AC Milan, United will face Wrexham, Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid and PSG during pre-season.