According to a new report, Manchester United have created three candidates to replace Reuben Amorim as their replacement. United’s struggle continued at Brentford on Saturday as they lost 3-1 after finding two goals within 20 minutes. Igor Thiago’s brace and stop-time Matthias Jensen Strike condemned the Red Devils’ defeat in London despite Benjamin Sesco’s first United goal in the first half.
And according to Talksport, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, owner of United’s minority, has been in direct contact with one of the options to replace Gareth Southgate, a former England manager who is already unemployed. The 55-year-old is believed to have a close relationship with Ratcliffe’s close confidant, Ir Dave Brailsford. Southgate has lost his job since resigning as England’s manager after the final Euro 2024 defeat to Spain and has not coached the Premier League since 2009.
Southgate was also considered by United before appointing Amorim to succeed Eric Ten Hagg in November last year. At the time, the former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough defender and midfielder still didn’t want to return to management.
The United hierarchy doesn’t want to dismiss Amorim, but he only won nine of his 34 Premier League matches in charge, but has yet to achieve a back-to-back victory. He scored just 33 points on the UK’s top flight in almost 12 months.
Talksport reports that if they do so soon, it would cost £12 million to loot Amorim, but the required compensation figures will decline after Saturday, November 1st.
Southgate is not the only option for the 20-time English champion. Crystal Palace head coaches Oliver Grassner and Bournemouth’s Andniiraora have also been praised for the incredible work they have done at Selhurst Park and Vitality Stadium, respectively.
However, his connection with Southgate and his work with the England national team make him an interesting option.
Despite criticism of his tactics, Southgate was a major side for a period of highly successful success with three lions. They reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, and lost one in a penalty to Italy and a very late to Spain, one in a penalty to Italy.
Last month, Southgate said he is not considering returning to management, despite being more than 12 months away from Touchline. “I enjoy my life,” he said. “I enjoy a different pace in life. I’m busy. I have a book I’m finished writing about leadership.
“I have some business interests. I help young coaches with mentoring. I do a lot of work on the situation around young men. I have problems for the young people in our country.
Southgate added: “I don’t know. It’s not something I’m actively looking for at this point. But when I left Middlesbrough 15 years ago, I wasn’t looking after that, so something came and it was over.”
