Rúben Amorim has moved to clarify his future at Manchester United, insisting he has no plans to quit the club despite a turbulent Premier League campaign and mounting speculation about his job security.
The 39-year-old Portuguese manager, who took charge earlier this season, was speaking at a UEFA media briefing at Old Trafford ahead of United’s Europa League final clash with Tottenham on May 21 in Bilbao.
Amorim stirred headlines following Sunday’s dismal 2-0 defeat to West Ham, when he suggested United should “find someone who could” solve their problems if he failed to do so. The remark was widely interpreted as a sign of growing frustration and self-doubt. But Amorim has now firmly dismissed such notions.
“I’m far from quitting,” he said. “I have a clear idea of what to do and I understand the problems of the team. Since I arrived here, I’ve always spoken about standards, and I cannot accept these results without taking responsibility.”
United currently sit in 16th place in the Premier League, in what could be their worst finish since the 1973-74 relegation season. The Red Devils have managed just four league wins in 2025, with three of those coming against teams that have already been relegated. Since their victory at Fulham in January, their only other wins came against Ipswich and Leicester.
Despite their Premier League woes, Amorim has guided United to only their third European final since 2011, raising hopes that silverware could salvage an otherwise dismal campaign. But the manager is under no illusions.
“If we don’t win, it’s going to be really tough,” he admitted. “The patience of the fans, and of you guys [the media], is going to be on the limit next year. We would have to be perfect to continue. So it’s not going to be better if we lose.”
Amorim also dismissed the idea that failing to qualify for the Champions League might afford him more time to build, calling that suggestion “a really bad excuse.”
Behind the Scenes: Austerity and Unity
The build-up to the final has been overshadowed by off-field tension, as Manchester United face a second round of up to 200 redundancies, following 250 job losses last year. Amid cost-cutting, club management has reportedly limited the number of tickets available for staff and players’ families to attend the final in Bilbao.
There will also be no celebratory parade if United beat Spurs. Instead, any post-match celebrations will be restricted to a modest barbecue at Carrington.
Recognising the strain on non-playing staff, Amorim and his squad have agreed to personally fund tickets for the families of backroom staff — a gesture of solidarity during turbulent times.
“It is not going to change my life financially,” said Amorim. “To help the staff be there and comfortable means they will be better staff for the final. We talked to the players, and they had the same reaction — everybody wants their families there.”
He added: “We have to respect the people whose jobs are being taken to survive and rebuild. It’s complicated for the club to start giving more, so we stepped in.”
“Finalists? That Means Nothing”
Amorim knows the pain of losing a Europa League final all too well — he was a player in the Benfica side that lost on penalties to Sevilla in 2014.
Now, he wants his players to embrace the occasion with only one goal in mind: victory.
“I’ll never say I was a finalist,” he said bluntly. “The feeling has to be: ‘what a waste of time.’ We have to win — or it doesn’t matter.”
Victory in Bilbao would not only end a trophy drought for United but also secure Champions League qualification and a reported £100 million financial boost, a lifeline for a club in transition.
As pressure mounts, Amorim remains defiant and focused — determined to ensure that this final does not become another “waste of time.”
