Ruben Amorim has informed his Manchester United squad he will remain in charge next season — while telling Alejandro Garnacho to find a new club.
Following Wednesday’s Europa League final defeat by Tottenham Hotspur the Portuguese head coach offered to walk away from Old Trafford without any compensation if the board and fans no longer felt he was the man for job.
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He has repeatedly insisted he will not quit despite United staring at their worst finish of the Premier League era. With one game of the season remaining — against Aston Villa on Sunday — they sit 16th in the top-flight table.
Sources with knowledge of the matter, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, indicate Amorim addressed players at the club’s Carrington training ground on Saturday to inform them of his own plans and, in front of the group, of those for Garnacho.
Manchester United treat dressing room matters as private and declined to comment.
Garnacho hinted at frustrations with Amorim after only being introduced as a 71st-minute substitute in Bilbao, adding that he would “see what happens” after a summer break.
Garnacho’s brother, Roberto, also posted a pointed message on Instagram saying his sibling had been “thrown under the bus” by Amorim suggesting that Garnacho’s miss against Athletic Club in the semi-final’s second leg helped inform his call to start Mason Mount over him against Spurs.
“It’s hard for everyone. The season was s***, both now losing the final tonight, and in the league, where we didn’t beat anyone, that’s the truth,” Garnacho told reporters. “Up until the final, I’ve played every round, and today to play 20 minutes… I don’t know. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens after.”
Garnacho was dropped alongside Marcus Rashford for the Manchester derby in December before appearing to earn his manager’s trust again and being reinstated.
The Athletic reported in January he was one of the homegrown players — with fellow academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo — who the club would reluctantly consider selling as part of their efforts to comply with football’s financial rules.
An approach from Napoli was later knocked back and the deadline passed without a move before his reaction to being substituted against Ipswich Town in February saw Amorim later reveal he had paid for a team dinner by way of an apology.
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Garnacho joined United’s academy from Atletico Madrid in October 2020 and has gone on to make 144 appearances for the club, scoring 26 goals and adding 22 assists.
This season he has played 58 times in total, including featuring in all but one of the side’s 37 Premier League games.
Bruno Fernandes, who is the subject of interest from Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal, also suggested after the Europa League final that he is prepared to leave if the Old Trafford hierarchy decides to “cash in” on their club captain.
When Amorim was asked in his final pre-match press conference of the season on Saturday whether he has sought to clarify Fernandes and Garnacho’s futures since Wednesday night, he said: “I will speak with my players but my focus is the last game. I don’t know what is going to happen.
“We have a plan — we were prepared for both situations, with or without Champions League. We have an idea what type of squad we want. Now we have to focus on the game, we now have the last game and we have time to address those situations.”
United host Villa at Old Trafford on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday, before embarking for a post-season tour of Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
(Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
