Manchester United may look towards Enzo Maresca as the club’s new manager after deciding to sack Ruben Amorim.
The Red Devils relieved Amorim of his duties on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after his outburst aimed at the club’s hierarchy.
His comments immediately made him the favourite in the Premier League sack race before the club confirmed his dismissal.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is the favourite to become the next Manchester United manager, with his future at Selhurst Park in doubt.
His contract is expiring at the end of the season, and it looks increasingly likely that he will depart having grown his managerial reputation.
Another name that will come to the fore is Maresca, who departed Chelsea last week.
Why Manchester United could appoint Enzo Maresca
Maresca’s availability is an obvious factor if United want to make a swift appointment.
Former midfielder Darren Fletcher will take interim charge of the club, starting with the trip to Burnley on Wednesday before an FA Cup tie with Brighton.
However, the link between Maresca and the club’s hierarchy could only strengthen his chances of being handed the job at Old Trafford.
The club’s Director of Football, Jason Wilcox, and Chief Executive Officer Omar Berrarda both previously worked with Maresca when the trio were together at Manchester City.
Wilcox was one of the names Amorim called out in his press conference on Sunday, advising him to “do his job.”
He was previously the Academy Director at Man City while Maresca coached the Elite Development Squad under Wilcox’s directorship.
He led the team to the Premier League 2 title in 2021 before later returning as an assistant to Pep Guardiola.
During this period, Berrada served as the Chief Operations Officer for City Football Group.
Therefore, there’s a previous relationship between the top brass at United and Maresca, which could help form a close bond between the hierarchy and manager.
Wilcox would also be granted his wishes for United to play with a favoured four at the back formation.
One of the big disagreements between Wilcox and Amorim was the preferred style of play, with Amorim adding: “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. That is clear.”
Maresca typically played with a 4-2-3-1 formation at Chelsea, although he was open to flexibility in possession, with his full-backs often operating from midfield.
Who else could Manchester United appoint?
One of the big decisions the United hierarchy will have to make is whether to make an immediate appointment or wait until the end of the season.
That could depend on how Fletcher operates in the next handful of matches, but there are obvious advantages in biding their time.
United will be able to cast a much wider net in their managerial pool in the summer, including with Glasner out of contract.
There’s likely to be more managerial casualties, while optimistic targets such as Aston Villa’s Unai Emery will be easier to lure away from the Midlands side.
The World Cup will also mean numerous international managers are likely to be looking for new jobs following the tournament.
Former England boss Gareth Southgate is an admirer of the United board, as is Laurent Blanc and former Barcelona boss Xavi.
