United's Hierarchy Eyes New Sporting Director as Amorim Exit Raises Questions Over Wilcox

The writing was on the wall before Amorim even kicked a ball at Elland Road. Manchester United's decision to terminate the Portuguese manager's tenure came on Monday morning, but the die had been cast days earlier during a tense meeting with Jason Wilcox that laid bare the fundamental incompatibility between coach and boardroom.

The trigger for the sack came after United salvaged a draw at Leeds on Sunday, but that result merely provided the public facing for what had already been determined behind closed doors. According to the Daily Telegraph's Sam Wallace, the club's hierarchy had resolved to part ways with Amorim following his heated exchange with Wilcox the previous week.

What unfolded in that meeting painted a picture of a manager unable to handle scrutiny. Wilcox had arranged what was intended to be a constructive discussion about the team's tactical evolution, yet when the 3-4-3 formation—Amorim's tactical security blanket—came under examination, the manager's composure evaporated. Sources indicate he "blew up" at the observations, a reaction that proved decisive in the club's assessment.

The pattern was clear to United's hierarchy: whenever pressure mounted, Amorim reverted to his familiar system regardless of its suitability against the opposition. That inflexibility, coupled with his inability to absorb legitimate feedback without erupting, suggested he had reached the limits of what he could contribute to the club.

Amorim's frustration spilled into the public domain following the Leeds stalemate. "I know that my name is not Tuchel, is not Conte, is not Mourinho, but I'm the manager of Manchester United," he declared. "It's going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decided to change. That was my point. I want to finish with that. I'm not going to quit. I will do my job until other guy is coming here to replace me."

He continued: "I just want to say that I'm going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months, and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job, not to be a coach."

The recriminations, however, have given way to boardroom business. INEOS are now preparing to install a new sporting director, according to journalist Romain Molina, who has contributed investigations to outlets including The Guardian, The New York Times, and the BBC.

Writing on X, Molina stated: "INEOS is in favour of a new sporting director for Manchester United (no idea whether this means Jason Wilcox will be leaving soon or whether they will work together)."

That uncertainty over Wilcox's future adds another layer of intrigue to United's structural overhaul. Whether the current sporting director remains to work alongside his successor, or whether he too departs as part of a broader reset, remains to be seen.