Manchester United went big for Ruben Amorim. They paid the clause. They promised a reset. On November 1, 2024, the club’s line was clear: “Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach of the men’s first team.” It was a bold move to change the course after Erik ten Hag’s exit. One year on, the story is more complex: pockets of progress, some dark afternoons, loud voices from the club’s past, and one massive win at Anfield to keep hope alive.

A €10m bet on a new direction at Manchester United

United struck a deal with Sporting CP by paying the €10m release clause and an extra €1m to bring Amorim early. He officially started on November 11, 2024, with a contract through June 2027 and a club option for one more year. From day one, the fee and the timeline made this more than a normal hire. It was a statement.

Even before he walked through the door, Amorim called the process what it was: a negotiation. “It’s a negotiation between two clubs. It’s never easy, even with the [release] clauses. They have to talk. We will have clarification after the game… it will be clear,” he said in late October 2024. United wanted a proven winner with a clear style and strong personality. They backed that belief with cash and control.

Results bite: Brighton pain, bottom-half finish, and the numbers

The Premier League is a hard judge. Since Amorim took over in November 2024, United have won just 14 of 42 league matches. The winter of 2025 was rough. On January 19, a 3-1 loss to Brighton marked a fourth defeat in five at home. The end of the season was no kinder: only four points from the last six games, and a place in the bottom half.

Amorim did not hide. He called his team on that January day “probably the worst team in the history” of the club. He said the quiet part out loud. It stung fans, but it also showed he knew the level was not good enough.

“€10m for a new era — so where’s the identity?”

Scholes and the ex-player chorus: style, academy, identity

When United struggle, old voices return. Paul Scholes has been one of the loudest. He questioned the team’s style, the use of a back-three shape, and what the plan means for the club’s identity. Others from the Class of ’92 era, and ex-captains, have joined the debate. The academy came up too, including talk about how Kobbie Mainoo was being handled and whether the club still leads with youth.

Amorim pushed back, but kept it honest. “I think it’s normal… Sometimes they don’t have all the information… I think not winning is the issue… If I’m winning I can go to the games on a horse,” he said with a grin. Then he added the line that matters most: “The problem is that me as a manager I’m not doing good enough.” It was a simple, clear answer to complex noise.

“Pick a shape and back the kids — or stop saying we’re a club of youth.”

Cup shock, Anfield lift: the thin line in Amorim’s first year

United’s EFL Cup exit in August 2025 to Grimsby Town summed up the turbulence. Two goals down at halftime, a fightback to 2-2, and then a marathon shootout that ended 12-11 against them. It was the kind of result that sticks in the throat and fuels every critic’s main point: inconsistency.

And yet, five words can change a season: a win at Anfield, finally. On October 20, 2025, United beat Liverpool 2-1 for their first away league win there since 2016. It was a signature away day, the sort of statement United fans have craved. Amorim was also named Premier League Manager of the Month that October, a reminder that confidence and clarity can build fast when the results turn.

“Beat Liverpool away, lose to Grimsby — this team is a riddle.”

What has to change now for Amorim and United

So what’s next? The facts on the table are plain: the cost to hire him, the faith in his deal, the poor league return, the cup shock, a huge win at Liverpool, and the scrutiny from ex-players who know the badge. From here, the path looks like this:

• Commit to a clear shape: If it’s a back three, make it a strength, not a debate. Drill the roles so every player knows the job.
• Protect the academy route: If youth is the brand, show it on the pitch with the right minutes and support — especially in midfield.
• Improve game control: Manage leads, reduce chaos, and turn those tight games into steady wins.
• Own the message: Amorim’s honesty resonates. Keep it. Fans accept a plan if they can see it grow week by week.

The bigger picture: a manager who owns the pressure

Amorim’s quotes tell the story of a coach who understands United’s scale. He knows the money spent to bring him. He knows that ex-players, from Paul Scholes to others, will keep the pressure on. He knows the standard, and he has said the simplest truth: he must do better.

The encouraging sign is that big moments have not vanished. The win at Anfield came with urgency and courage. The Manager of the Month nod in October 2025 was not sentimental; it was earned on results. The question is whether United can stack those highs into a run, instead of watching them vanish in the next tricky week.

One year in, Ruben Amorim’s United is still forming. The fee and the contract say the club believed he could be the long-term answer. The mixed record shows the job is harder than a headline. The next phase will be about turning flashes into a firm identity — something even the harshest critic can see without squinting. If he finds that, the noise fades. If he doesn’t, the chorus led by Scholes will only get louder. The stakes are simple, and so is the task: win more, win smarter, and make Manchester United look like Manchester United again.