The international break does not seem to have calmed down speculation surrounding the future of coach Ruben Amorim at Manchester United. The Old Trafford team's leadership has discussed with a number of key players to assess the current psychology and atmosphere in the dressing room, the source said.
The 40-year-old strategist is about to celebrate his first year leading Man United after taking over from Erik ten Hag in November 2024. However, after taking the team to 15th place - their record low in the Premier League last season - his progress has been much slower than fans expected.
The "Red Devils" continued to decline this season when they were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by the Second Division team Grimsby Town. With Amorim's side yet to win away from home since the start of the season, the club's board have proactively consulted with a number of key players to assess the current situation.
The current situation is reminiscent of the crisis that led to a seven-hour meeting between Ten Hag and his former board at the same time last year. The incident came shortly before the Dutchman was sacked.
According to British sources, co-owner Joel Glazer, CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox were all present at Sir Jim Ratcliffe's knightsbridge office in London to discuss the club's current situation. In addition, Jean-Claude Blanc, Collette Roche and Roger Bell, a board member, and CFO, are also expected to attend the summit.
Ten Hag only stayed for exactly three weeks after that long meeting. And perhaps, Man United's top leadership will soon have to sit down again, as problems on the pitch continue to pile up and show no signs of abating.
Berrada and Wilcox are said to be the two figures who chaired recent internal discussions between Man United's board and the players. Captain Bruno Fernandes was among the players questioned, along with a number of other opinions that were also listened to.
Some sources said that these discussions were only intimate, not necessarily aimed at directly assessing Amorim's position at the club. However, this is not uncommon for a team that is in a stable and smooth state.
Co-owner Ratcliffe has repeatedly had to speak out in response to questions surrounding Amorim's future. The billionaire insists he still has faith in the Portuguese coach and hopes Amorim will continue to be with the club for the foreseeable future.
"Amorim hasn't had its best season. He needs to prove himself as a good coach in the next 3 years. That is how I will assess the situation, including the possibility of sacking Amorim" - Ratcliffe admitted.
These statements were made amid growing fan outrage over how Man United are managed. The Glazer family is still a source of deep disappointment in the hearts of fans, and Ratcliffe has not been able to turn that awareness up to now.
Oliver Glasner, Eddie Howe, Gareth Southgate and Diego Simeone are all named in the potential candidates for the hot seat at Old Trafford. However, Amorim has remained silent and has not responded to any reports about his future.
Despite leading 50 Premier League games, Amorim has yet to win back-to-back in the competition. The "Red Devils" have just had a positive streak of matches at home, including a 2-0 victory over Sunderland right before the international break. However, poor away form is still a concern for Amorim's side.
