Mark OgdenJan 6, 2026, 09:00 AM ETCloseMark Ogden is a senior soccer writer for ESPN.com. Read his archive here and follow him on Twitter: @MarkOgden_.Follow on X
play3:04Who could become Amorim’s successor at Manchester United?Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens assess the managerial options available for Manchester United after sacking Ruben Amorim.
play2:44Were Manchester United right to sack Ruben Amorim?Mark Ogden reacts to Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim after 14 months at the club.
play2:04Laurens: Ruben Amorim’s Man United departure was not a surpriseJulien Laurens and Gab Marcotti react to Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim and recap the events leading to his exit.
Should Man United ‘ask the question’ to Unai Emery? (1:45)Mark Ogden and Shaka Hislop discuss the potential replacements for Ruben Amorim head coach role at Manchester United. (1:45)
Who could become Amorim’s successor at Manchester United?Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens assess the managerial options available for Manchester United after sacking Ruben Amorim.
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens assess the managerial options available for Manchester United after sacking Ruben Amorim.
Were Manchester United right to sack Ruben Amorim?Mark Ogden reacts to Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim after 14 months at the club.
Laurens: Ruben Amorim’s Man United departure was not a surpriseJulien Laurens and Gab Marcotti react to Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim and recap the events leading to his exit.
Julien Laurens and Gab Marcotti react to Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim and recap the events leading to his exit.
Who are the likeliest candidates to be the next manager at Old Trafford? Here are the two short lists that United could be working off: one for an immediate hire, and one if they choose to wait until the end of the 2025-26 season.
The Crystal Palace coach is out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of this season and has yet to negotiate a new deal. Glasner’s stock is rising rapidly after winning the FA Cup last season and taking Palace into the UEFA Conference League. He also won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, so has proved himself as a trophy winner in his last two jobs.
The 51-year-old favors a three-man defense, like Amorim, so if United want to continue that model, he would be a good fit. He’s also likely to be available now due to his contract situation.
Who could become Amorim’s successor at Manchester United?
The 39-year-old has guided Ipswich Town to two promotions and was interviewed for the Chelsea job in 2024 before former coach Enzo Maresca’s appointment. Having worked at United as part of Jose Mourinho’s and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching teams, McKenna has knowledge of many of the existing players and youth prospects at Old Trafford.
Ipswich are pushing for promotion back to the Premier League this season, but United would likely be too big a job for McKenna to turn down if they come calling.
The former England manager has been out of the game since stepping down from his Three Lions role after Euro 2024. The 55-year-old has shown no inclination to return to management since, but after guiding England to two Euro finals and the 2018 World Cup semifinal, he has admirers at Old Trafford.
Southgate is available and therefore would not involve a compensation fee; if he is interested, he would be an immediate contender.
The former Barcelona coach guided Barca to the 2022-23 LaLiga title during a three-year stint at Camp Nou, but he has been out of work since leaving the club at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Xavi, 45, is keen to work in the Premier League, and his availability would make him an attractive candidate. But with his lack of experience against Premier League opponents and managing the fixture workload, Xavi might have too many negatives for United to accept considering their past two appointments — Amorim and Erik ten Hag — struggled to adjust to the demands of the English top flight.
Carrick has had one previous spell at interim manager at United, taking charge of three games in 2021 following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The 44-year-old has since had a three-year spell managing Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship.
Having left Boro at the end of last season, Carrick hasn’t yet shown a desire to return to management, but his knowledge of the United squad and the club would mark him out as a safe pair of hands to guide the team until the summer before handing over to a permanent appointment.
Mark Ogden reacts to Manchester United sacking Ruben Amorim after 14 months at the club.
Solskjaer remains a hugely popular figure among the United fan base after his feats as a player in Ferguson’s treble-winning 1998-99 team, but he also won admirers for overseeing an attacking style in his three years in charge as manager from 2018 to 2021.
United finished as 2020-21 Premier League runners-up under Solskjaer, but the team lacked defensive solidity and he exited in November 2021 after a series of heavy defeats, including a 5-0 loss at Old Trafford to Liverpool. Solskjaer most recently was in charge of Turkish club Besiktas, but after leaving them in August, he is available for an unlikely return to United.
Maresca is out of work after leaving Chelsea last week. In his 18-month stint at Stamford Bridge, he delivered success in the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup. His availability would make him an obvious candidate, and Maresca also worked closely with United CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox when all three men were employed by Manchester City. But Maresca’s philosophy of a possession-based game might not work with the squad of players at United.
Tuchel, 52, ticks every box for United — he won the Champions League with Chelsea and has also managed Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. However, his reputation for being outspoken and challenging his bosses could lead to fireworks behind the scenes.
The U.S. coach is under contract until after the World Cup, but sources told ESPN that the 53-year-old will be open to a return to club management when his international commitments come to an end.
United have considered Pochettino three times over the past 10 years, and he was on a two-man short list with ten Hag in 2022 before missing out to the former Ajax coach. With his Premier League credentials and his experience at big clubs such as PSG, Chelsea and Spurs, Pochettino would be a good fit for United.
Laurens: Ruben Amorim’s Man United departure was not a surprise
The 66-year-old is contracted to coach Brazil until after the World Cup, but if United want an experienced coach with a stellar track record, Ancelotti is the obvious candidate.
A multiple Champions League winner with AC Milan and Real Madrid with further big club experience at Bayern Munich, Juventus, PSG, Napoli and Chelsea, Ancelotti also worked in more constrained circumstances at Everton. He would command big wages and would expect United to sign better players, but with him at the helm, the club would become more attractive to potential signings.
The Germany coach is under contract until Euro 2028, but his future could depend on the outcome of his team’s World Cup campaign.
Still only 38, Nagelsmann has rebuilt his reputation in the Germany job after his turbulent 18-month spell at Bayern Munich ended with him being fired in 2023. Earlier success at TSG Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig made Nagelsmann one of Europe’s most sought-after coaches, and his stock remains high within the game.
The Bournemouth coach has earned praise for his work at the Vitality Stadium, turning the Cherries into a team that consistently overperforms its budget.
Whether his high-energy style would work with the existing United squad is a question mark. However, as a coach with proven Premier League experience, Iraola will be under consideration at United.
Should Man United ‘ask the question’ to Unai Emery? (1:45)Mark Ogden and Shaka Hislop discuss the potential replacements for Ruben Amorim head coach role at Manchester United. (1:45)
Mark Ogden and Shaka Hislop discuss the potential replacements for Ruben Amorim head coach role at Manchester United. (1:45)
CloseMark Ogden is a senior soccer writer for ESPN.com. Read his archive here and follow him on Twitter: @MarkOgden_.Follow on X
– Ogden: Man United must go big with next manager after firing Amorim – Marcotti: Unpacking Man City-Chelsea, Amorim out at Man United, more – Dawson: The inside story of why Man United sacked Ruben Amorim