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Manchester United have announced the departure of manager their Portuguese head coach after just 14 months in charge. The decision comes following a reported power struggle over recruitment strategy and even with the team's recent upturn in form.

What Sparked the Decision

Relations between the manager and the club's leadership, specifically director of football the recruitment chief, had been strained for a period. The decisive moment is believed to have been public remarks made by the coach following Sunday's 1-1 draw with Leeds United. He reportedly challenged the recruitment team to "fulfill their responsibilities," underscoring a major disagreement.

"I was hired as the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach. That is clear. I know my name is not Tuchel, Mourinho or Conte but I’m the manager. It’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change. I’m not going to quit, I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me."

A Miserable Tenure

Statistically, the Portuguese manager's time at the club was difficult. He leaves with a record of victories of less than 39 per cent and a league points average of a meager 1.24 in the Premier League. The team lost more games than it won in the calendar year 2025.

However, his last matches in charge showed some resilience. United were defeated only once of his final eight matches and currently sit in sixth place in the standings, just a narrow margin off the coveted fourth place.

End of an Era Results

• 4-4 draw vs Bournemouth (Home)
• 2-1 loss vs Aston Villa (Away)
• 1-0 win vs Newcastle United (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Leeds United (Away)

Club Announcement

In its release, the club presented the decision as one aimed at securing the highest league finish.

"With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish. The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future."

Looking Ahead

In the short term, former player the Scot will assume control on an caretaker basis. He is expected to be in the technical area for the upcoming league fixture against the Clarets.

For the permanent role, oddsmakers and pundits are suggesting a range of potential candidates. Names in the frame include former Barcelona coach Xavi, Oliver Glasner, England national team boss Gareth Southgate, and another promising coach.

Fan and Pundit Reaction

The announcement has sparked divided opinion among supporters and observers. Some cite the poor results and tactics as justification, while others argue the club's hierarchy must bear a large responsibility for continuous turmoil.

A perspective suggests: "{Between the consistently bad performances and results, the rather abhorrent win ratio and the inflexible approach, he has no one else to blame but himself... INEOS and their ‘best-in-class’ claims should, however, feel a large brunt of the fan’s rage; this was a mess from start to finish."

A counter-argument states: "It seems crazy to blame results when the team are in the top six in the table... They’ve beaten top sides... and have lost only twice since the start of October. Just watching them you can see they’re a improved side than last year."

The hunt for a permanent successor and the quest for consistency at Manchester United begins anew.