Ding Dong, Amorim has gone. After a year of scathing punditry and mixed results on the pitch: Ruben Amorim has been relieved of his duties as Manchester United manager after unleashing a scathing attack on the sporting director and scouting departments to ‘do their jobs’.
The Premier League management carousel turns once more, and that means we’re looking at the latest Manchester United next manager odds, with exclusive commentary from United legendary defender, Jaap Stam who backs a +1900 Italian manager to take the most stressful job in soccer.
The opening favorite in the market with bet365 was former Chelsea head coach, Enzo Maresca. Maresca boasts a decent résumé, but would he be willing to dance with overbearing ownership and fan expectations so soon after leaving Stamford Bridge? Now he's been replaced in the chalk spot by Brentford boss, Oliver Glasner; but neither are the first choice of a former United legend...
Exclusive: Stam backs De Zerbi as next United boss
Speaking to Covers soon after the news broke of Amorim's departure, Dutch defender and treble winner with Manchester United, Jaap Stam spoke candidly about Amorim's suitability for such a high-profile role.
"Ruben Amorim's departure was inevitable, but I was surprised to see him sacked so soon." Stam continued, "The performances haven’t been consistent and we were expecting more from him after last season. I was at the Leeds game, and his comments after the match have obviously raised eyebrows in the club’s hierarchy. His system didn’t always suit the players at the club, and we haven’t seen much progress, even though he has had more time between games and fewer competitions."
When pressed on whether issues at Manchester United were Ruben Amorim's responsibility, Jaap Stam was willing to lay some of the blame at the feet of the leadership at Old Trafford: "The club must take some of the blame too; they were convinced by a manager who was enjoying a lot of success, but in a completely different league, playing a contrasting style of football. Manchester United are a club associated with attacking, aggressive football, but that was always going to be a challenge, with his system and the players available to him."
Jaap Stam has a clear vision for what is needed to bring glory back to Manchester United, and who he believes could be the man to deliver that vision.
"Manchester United need a manager who wants to play attacking football, and Roberto De Zerbi would be my choice to fit that style.
“I really like De Zerbi as a manager and how he conducts himself in terms of managing the dressing room, his tactics and philosophy. He’s very clear in his approach and he’s tactically very strong; I’d like to see him given the chance at Old Trafford."
Next Manchester United manager odds
| Manager | US Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Oliver Glasner | +200 | 33.33% |
| Darren Fletcher | +400 | 20.00% |
| Enzo Maresca | +800 | 11.11% |
| Gareth Southgate | +900 | 10.00% |
| Xavi Hernandez | +900 | 10.00% |
| Kieran McKenna | +900 | 10.00% |
Odds provided by bet365 - accurate as of January 6
Next Manchester United manager odds analysis
Oliver Glasner | +200 | Implied Probability: 33.33%
Current Crystal Palace manager, Austrian-born Oliver Glasner has emerged as the favorite in the market over the first 24 hours of trading.
He's brought stability and success to South London and is considered a rising star in management after cutting his teeth in Germany with VfL Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt. Winning Palace's first major trophy in the club's history won him the hearts and minds of fans and leadership: he may well be ready to take on a bigger club.
Darren Fletcher | +400 | Implied Probability: 20.00%
Former United midfielder, Darren Fletcher has been appointed as caretaker manager until a permanent replacement is in place.
There is a strong case to be made for him getting the job on a permanent basis: he’s relatively young (41), and has operated in the Manchester United hierarchy since 2020 across a variety of roles, including Technical Director.
A lack of Mourinhos, and Guardiolas in the management market right now could benefit a lesser recognised name like Fletcher taking the role full-time.
Enzo Maresca | +800 | Implied Probability: 11.11%
Recently released from the top job at Chelsea FC, Enzo Maresca is a logical favorite. He has experience working in the Manchester City system under Pep Guardiola, and led Leicester City back to the EPL in 2024 before being appointed as Chelsea head coach in June ‘24.
Maresca’s style of play, dubbed ‘Marescaball’, involves pressing and playing out from the back while staying defensively solid with a back-four - something Manchester United and its fans have favored since the earliest days of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Gareth Southgate | +900 | Implied Probability: 10.00%
The former England manager who showed a flair for working with young players and maximizing talent has been out of management since leaving the international setup at the end of UEFA Euro 2024.
While he hasn’t been in the locker room with a team for over 18 months: Southgate is a very well respected football mind whose approach to leadership is respected throughout the soccer world and beyond: he was appointed a visiting lecturer at Harvard Business School after leaving the England job and recently had a third book published, titled ‘Dear England, Lessons on Leadership’.
Xavi Hernandez | +900 | Implied Probability: 10.00%
Xavi Hernandez, more commonly known as Xavi during his soccer career is the biggest name at the top of the Next Manchester United manager odds.
The 45-year-old former Spanish international and Barcelona legend was last in management for his former team from 2021 to 2024, and brings a wealth of experience and accolades to the role.
Would he be happy to accept a role that includes a lot of oversight and board control? The former world soccer player of the year turned La Liga-winning manager may want more input and sway than Jim Ratcliffe and Jason Wilcox could be willing to hand over.
Next Manchester United manager odds in full
| Manager | US Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Oliver Glasner | +200 | 33.33% |
| Darren Fletcher | +400 | 20.00% |
| Enzo Maresca | +800 | 11.11% |
| Gareth Southgate | +900 | 10.00% |
| Xavi Hernandez | +900 | 10.00% |
| Kieran McKenna | +900 | 10.00% |
| Andoni Iraola | +1100 | 8.33% |
| Mauricio Pochettino | +1100 | 8.33% |
| Michael Carrick | +1300 | 7.14% |
| Marco Silva | +1300 | 7.14% |
| Julian Nagelsmann | +1300 | 7.14% |
| Zinedine Zidane | +1500 | 6.25% |
| Laurent Blanc | +1900 | 5.00% |
| Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | +1900 | 5.00% |
| Eddie Howe | +1900 | 5.00% |
| Robert De Zerbi | +1900 | 5.00% |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy | +2400 | 4.00% |
| Jose Mourinho | +3200 | 3.03% |
Odds provided by bet365 - accurate as of January 6
Manchester United managers since Sir Alex Ferguson
| Name | Start Date | End Date | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Moyes | July 1, 2013 | April 22, 2014 | 295 days |
| Ryan Giggs (caretaker) | April 22, 2014 | May 11, 2014 | 19 days |
| Louis van Gaal | July 16, 2014 | May 23, 2016 | 677 days |
| José Mourinho | May 27, 2016 | December 18, 2018 | 935 days |
| Ole Gunnar Solskjær | December 19, 2018 | November 21, 2021 | 1,068 days |
| Michael Carrick (caretaker) | November 21, 2021 | December 2, 2021 | 11 days |
| Ralf Rangnick (interim) | December 3, 2021 | May 22, 2022 | 170 days |
| Erik ten Hag | May 23, 2022 | October 28, 2024 | 889 days |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy (interim) | October 28, 2024 | November 10, 2024 | 13 days |
| Ruben Amorim | November 11, 2024 | January 5, 2026 | 420 days |
