- Crystal Palace considering Ruben Amorim
- Ex-Manchester United coach is available
- Portuguese manager flopped at Old Trafford
Crystal Palace have reportedly added former Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim to their list of potential Oliver Glasner replacements. The Portuguese tactician is available after he was sacked by the Red Devils in January.
Amorim’s time in charge at Old Trafford was a tumultuous one, failing to guide United back to their glory days. He replaced Erik ten Hag in November 2024 and oversaw the club’s worst Premier League finish in its history, finishing 15th last season.
The former Sporting CP boss was scrutinised for his decision to persist with a three-at-the-back system despite constant poor form. He won 25 and lost 23 of his 63 games in charge, holding the worst win record of any United manager during the Premier League era.
Ruben Amorim to Palace?
Amorim has yet to break his silence following his dismissal back in January. But he might soon be back in English football if Palace decide to make a move for him.
According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, Palace are exploring their options, and one of them is Amorim. He’s said to be on a list which includes Coventry City boss Frank Lampard and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, who is leaving the Vitality Stadium in June.
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank and the Lilywhites’ legendary striker Robbie Keane are also in the frame. But a decision on who will replace Glasner likely won’t be made until the Austrian officially leaves Selhurst Park.
A Second Chance
Amorim is an intriguing option given how his United tenure panned out. He arrived with his stock sky high after a successful spell in charge of Sporting in Liga Portugal.
The 41-year-old guided the Portuguese outfit out of a gloomy period and to the top of Portuguese football. He oversaw the development of Viktor Gyokeres, who broke goalscoring records before moving to Arsenal last summer.
Amorim delivered at Sporting, but that certainly wasn’t the case at Old Trafford. His stubbornness drew heavy criticism, and there were huge question marks over his coaching methods.
That said, Amorim did manage to leave the Red Devils’ squad in a better state than he found it. He forced out the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, two divisive players seemingly causing issues behind the scenes.
Whether he’s a good fit for Palace is up for debate, but he might have a point to prove by staying in the Premier League. His reputation is in need of a major lift, and Selhurst Park has often given players a second chance.
