HAPPENING LIVE: Manchester United New coach SPOTTED at London Carrington Today in training amid reports that Ruben Amorim sack announcement set to be Made in the next few hours
Stan Collymore tips Manchester United to target Unai Emery as pressure mounts on Ruben Amorim
Former Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore has suggested that Manchester United could soon turn their attention to Unai Emery as doubts grow over Ruben Amorim’s future at Old Trafford.
United’s Portuguese boss has endured a nightmare start to the campaign, overseeing the club’s worst opening since 1992/93. Currently 11th in the Premier League, the Red Devils also crashed out of the League Cup at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town. The rocky start comes on the back of a miserable 15th-place finish last season – their lowest in Premier League history.
To make matters worse, Amorim’s side fell short in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur in May, meaning United will be without European football for the first time in over a decade. With the pressure mounting, it is no surprise that the club has been linked with some of the most respected managers across Europe.
One of those names is Aston Villa boss Emery, who was reportedly considered during Erik ten Hag’s turbulent reign last year. While Villa have stuttered early this season, Emery’s broader work at the club has won widespread admiration, lifting them into European contention and reviving the atmosphere at Villa Park.
Speculation over his future has intensified following the sudden departure of Villa’s President of Football Operations, Monchi, on Monday. Emery and Monchi had long been seen as a tight-knit duo, and his exit has led some to question whether the Spaniard could be tempted elsewhere.
Collymore, reflecting on Monchi’s record and what it could mean for Villa, didn’t shy away from raising the Manchester United question.
“Monchi. Lots of social media with others in recruitment about how hard they worked (so do others, especially Brighton and Bournemouth) which struck a chord with Villans as the going was good,” he wrote on X.
“But I make it three resounding successes in the market (players who play for the first team, not jiggery pokery for PSR) in Tielemans, Rogers and Pau out of a 20+ incoming of players. That’s average recruitment at best. Emery wanted him and this now raises the question as to whether Unai’s tenure will now grind to an end of season halt (*fires starting pistol on speculation every week about United, etc etc etc) or whether Unai has agreed with my analysis, biffed off a great friend but ‘business is business’ and a new shiny recruitment guy comes in with a better strike rate.”
For now, Amorim remains in charge at Old Trafford, but with results stalling and confidence low, Collymore’s words may yet prove prophetic if United’s hierarchy decide a change is needed.
