Enzo Maresca live-on-air reveal: Ruben Amorim ‘lost his mind’ as Man United started talks to hire replacement before sacking him
The Premier League has been rocked once again after the news on Monday that Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim.
Oliver Glasner is the favourite to replace Amorim, after the 40-year-old was dismissed following comments he made on Sunday.
After Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leeds United, the Portuguese coach reiterated that he came to Old Trafford to be the manager, not the head coach, in a fiery press conference.
The comments indicated a breakdown in relations between Amorim and the board, with the club announcing on Monday that they have ‘reluctantly’ come to the decision that a change is necessary.
The news comes just days after Chelsea and Enzo Maresca parted ways, in another case of poor relations between the board and the head coach.
Enzo Maresca could have played direct role in Ruben Amorim exit
Maresca will be mentioned among the favourites to take over at Manchester United, given the timing.
Whether the Italian would take the job if an approach were made, however, remains to be seen. The manager’s role at Old Trafford is essentially a poisoned chalice, with several managers trying and failing to change the Red Devils’ fortunes.
Amorim has followed Erik ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in ultimately failing at Manchester United, although the previous two permanent managers at least got some consistent performance out of their players.
Maresca offers similar levels of experience to Amorim, but had his Chelsea side playing superb football at the back end of last season.
And speaking to talkSPORT on Monday, Alex Crook suggested that talks may well have already taken place.
“You may be onto something because there is that connection between Jason Wilcox, director of football, Omar Berrada, chief executive, and Enzo Maresca from his time at Manchester City,” Crook explained.
“And you have to wonder, Ruben Amorim, he’s always very honest in press conferences but he usually manages to keep a lid on things and be quite cool and calm and collected – why has he suddenly lost his mind in this way?
“Not post-match, but actually, he laid the foundations with what he was saying pre-match about not being supported in this upcoming window.
“Could it be, because he had suspicions maybe, that talks have already taken place with a potential replacement, and maybe that potential replacement could be Enzo Maresca.“
Manchester United could steal Maresca from Manchester City
In the weeks before Maresca and Chelsea parted ways, it was reported that Manchester City were lining up a potential move for the Italian in the event of Pep Guardiola‘s departure.
And following the news, it was reported that the 45-year-old had told Chelsea on two occasions that he was talking to the Citizens.
Whether Maresca would still be willing to wait for Manchester City if Manchester United were to make a move now, however, is unclear.
Guardiola may not even leave at the end of the season, and a job at Old Trafford is certainly not to be sniffed at.
But Maresca would be taking a risk and would have to back himself to take Manchester United where far too many managers could not.