Manchester United head coach Rúben Amorim has told his players he will remain in charge next season — but informed Alejandro Garnacho he is free to find a new club.
Following Wednesday’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim offered to step down from his post without compensation, should the board or supporters feel he was no longer the right man for the job. Despite that gesture, he has remained adamant that he will not walk away.
United are on course for their worst finish of the Premier League era, currently sitting 16th ahead of their final match of the season at home to Aston Villa on Sunday.
Sources with knowledge of events at Carrington, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Amorim addressed the squad on Saturday, informing them of his decision to stay — and telling Garnacho he is no longer part of his plans.
The club declined to comment, citing a policy of not discussing internal dressing room matters.
Garnacho, who was benched for the Europa League final and only introduced in the 71st minute, expressed disappointment afterwards, saying:
“The season was s***, losing the final tonight and in the league we didn’t beat anyone, that’s the truth.
I’ve played every round [in Europe], and today I got 20 minutes… I don’t know. I’ll try to enjoy the summer and see what happens after.”
Frustration within Garnacho’s camp was amplified by a social media post from his brother, Roberto, who claimed the winger had been “thrown under the bus” by Amorim — reportedly referring to a missed opportunity in the Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Club that influenced Amorim’s decision to start Mason Mount over him in the final.
This is not the first time Garnacho has fallen out of favour. He was dropped alongside Marcus Rashford for the Manchester derby in December but later fought his way back into the starting eleven. He was also disciplined following his reaction to being substituted in a February match against Ipswich Town, later apologising by paying for a team dinner.
Despite the controversy, Garnacho has been a key contributor this season — playing 58 matches in total and appearing in 36 of United’s 37 Premier League fixtures. Since joining the club’s academy from Atlético Madrid in October 2020, the 19-year-old has made 144 appearances, scoring 26 goals and registering 22 assists.
In January, The Athletic reported that United could be forced to consider selling homegrown players such as Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo to comply with financial fair play regulations. An approach from Napoli was ultimately rejected before the deadline passed.
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Speaking at his final pre-match press conference of the season, Amorim would not be drawn on the futures of Garnacho or club captain Bruno Fernandes, who is attracting interest from Saudi side Al Hilal.
“I will speak with my players but my focus is the last game,” Amorim said.
“We have a plan — we were prepared for both scenarios, with or without the Champions League. We know what kind of squad we want.”
United face Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday, before embarking on a post-season tour of Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
