Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS entourage are ready to open the cheque book for Ruben Amorim this summer, but there’s a growing fear the former Sporting boss won’t be sticking around at Manchester United for long. After stepping into what many claim to be football’s most stressful job back in November, Amorim has overseen the Red Devils’ slide into their worst-ever Premier League campaign.
It didn’t take long for the 40-year-old to brand the current squad the worst in the club’s storied history, and with just one league game left, United haven’t even hit the 40-point mark, clocking their fewest wins, most defeats, and lowest goal tally to date. The question hanging over Old Trafford now is not just what went wrong, but where they go from here.
And now, the storm clouds have shifted toward the dugout itself, with real concern that Amorim may cut and run before his rebuild even properly begins. That said, all hope isn’t lost, and if United can pull a rabbit out of the hat and win the Europa League on May 21, they’ll punch a shock ticket to next season’s Champions League, and lift a massive weight off the club’s shoulders in the process.
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Why Ratcliffe Is 'Concerned' About Amorim's Future
The current box has reportedly been giving mixed messages
manchester united ruben amorim
According to the Sun, Amorim’s mixed messages about his future have left Ratcliffe fearing the Portuguese could decide the rebuilding job is too much for him. Last week, he revealed he may be forced to step aside nearly seven months after succeeding the sacked Erik ten Hag. He said:
“It’s a decisive moment in the history of the club. We need to be really strong in the summer and to be brave, because we will not have a next season like this. If we start like this, if the feeling is still here, we should give the space to different people.”
Since completing his £1.3billion investment into the Red Devils for a 27.7 per cent stake 15 months ago, Ratcliffe has overseen some brutal cost-cutting at the club. Up to 450 jobs could be lost and so savage are the cuts that Amorim is paying for 30 members of his backroom staff to go to the Bilbao final.
If the INEOS hierarchy's gut-feeling is correct, it could be one of his final good deeds before opting for the exit door. In turn, it would leave United back at square one just as they were seven months ago.