‘Top’ Man Utd Manager Target Bluntly Breaks Silence on Job Links

A third contender has emerged for the interim role at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim needs a replacement after leaving Man Utd on Monday. / Zohaib Alam-MUFC/Manchester United/Getty Images

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner took a blunt, dismissive tone to speculation surrounding the vacant position at Manchester United—without ruling himself out of contention.

In the immediate aftermath of Ruben Amorim’s stormy Old Trafford exit Glasner swiftly emerged as the leading contender. The allure is obvious. The Austrian boss was appointed almost three years ago with the Eagles teetering above the relegation zone and has completely transformed their fortunes.

Palace won the first two trophies in the club’s entire history under Glasner’s watch last year while operating in the 3-4-2-1 formation—one which Amorim failed to ever fully implement at Manchester United.

FREE NEWSLETTER. New SI FC Newsletter Global Embed. Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC. dark

Glasner’s prospects of joining the Red Devils are only boosted by the club’s decision to appoint an interim boss for the remainder of the season before turning to a permanent boss in the summer—by which point Glasner will be out of contract at Palace.

Faced with the growing weight of this speculation in his first press conference since Amorim’s sacking, Glasner gave little away. “I’m not allowed to bet, I don’t look at it. I also can’t give insider information,” he told assembled media before Palace’s clash with Aston Villa on Wednesday night.

Oliver Glasner has enjoyed plenty of success with the 3-4-2-1. / Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images

“I’m Crystal Palace manager. It makes no sense and it’s a waste of time for you to ask me any more questions on it.”

Palace’s failure to agree terms over a new deal for Glasner is not down to a lack of affection from the club’s upper hierarchy. Chairman Steve Parish recently declared: “I know people want him to stay desperately and I want him to stay desperately.”

Glasner was more philosophical on the topic. “You can sign a new contract,” he shrugged. “Managers in the Premier League did this last year, they aren’t the manager anymore. We can win trophies, you aren’t the manager there anymore. The length of a contract doesn’t mean anything.”

Next. Amorim replacements. Six Potential Replacements for Ruben Amorim As Man Utd Manager. dark

The frenetic fixture list has been routinely cited as the key factor behind a lack of negotiations between Glasner and the club. As the games mercifully begin to thin out over the coming weeks, the 51-year-old’s future is set to become much clearer.

“Everyone gets three days off after Macclesfield and then we have four regular weeks [without a midweek game],” Glasner revealed. “In these weeks we will intensify the talks and I expect then to find the final decision.”

---

Ruud van Nistelrooy Emerges As ‘Contender’ for Interim Role

Ruud van Nistelrooy steadied the ship after Erik ten Hag was sacked. / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Before United turn to Glasner or any other permanent successor, they first need to find a steady set of hands to man the listing ship until May. For all the turmoil Amorim’s departure has caused, the Red Devils sat sixth in the Premier League table at the time of his dismissal, outside the top five (and thereby Champions League qualification) on goal difference alone.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has been widely billed as the most prominent contender for the role, potentially leading to a nostalgia vortex where fans wistfully look back on his first spell as caretaker boss which was itself the most nostalgic reign in Premier League history. This is a figure who wouldn’t even park in Sir Alex Ferguson’s spot out of respect.

Michael Carrick is another leading contender while Ruud van Nistelrooy’s name has also been floated by BBC Sport and The Telegraph.

The former Dutch striker served as United’s caretaker in the window of uncertainty between Erik ten Hag and Amorim back in the autumn of 2024, overseeing four unbeaten games which brought three wins and 11 goals. Incidentally, half of Van Nistelrooy’s matches were against a Leicester City side which he would later take charge of for the remainder of the 2024–25 campaign. The Foxes were promptly relegated.

---

READ THE LATEST MAN UTD NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE

feed