Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says he has no intention of walking out on the club.
In the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s Premier League defeat by West Ham, Amorim said if he could not sort the club’s problems out heading into next season United should find someone who could.
That has been interpreted as the former Sporting boss beginning to realise he has taken on a job that might be beyond him.
However, in a Uefa briefing at Old Trafford arranged to preview the Europa League final against Tottenham on 21 May, he said that was not the case.
“I’m far from quitting,” he said.
“I have a clear idea of what to do and I understand the problems of the team.
“Since I arrived here, I’m always talking about standards. I cannot see the team having these results, especially in the Premier League, and not say anything or take the responsibility.
“What I’m saying is that we need to perform or else they [the club’s hierarchy] will change us. That is normal.”
While Amorim has guided United to a European final for only the third time since 2011, his side have been terrible in the Premier League.
They go into the penultimate round of fixtures in 16th place and are heading for their worst finish since the 1973-74 relegation campaign.
United have won four league games in 2025, three of which were against the teams that got relegated. Their only league victories since winning at Fulham on 26 January were against Ipswich and Leicester.
It could be argued a failure to beat Tottenham would at least provide clearer midweeks for Amorim to work with his squad next season.
The coach does not view it that way at all.
“I am not going to use that as an excuse,” he said. “That would be really bad.
“If we don’t win it is going to be really tough, and the patience of the fans and you guys [the media] next year is going to be on the limit.
“We would have to be perfect to continue with everything – I know that. So it’s not going to be better in that way.”
Losing final would be ‘a waste of time’
The aftermath of the West Ham defeat has been filled with stories about the plans United’s hierarchy have put in place around the final.
Limits have been placed on the number of tickets players are allowed – and what staff are entitled to.
There will be no parade in the event of a win against Tottenham. Instead celebrations will be restricted to a low-key barbeque at the club’s Carrington training ground when Amorim’s squad return on Thursday.
Evidently, Amorim and his players have the financial muscle to pay for their friends and family to get to Bilbao if needed.
However, others who work closely with the first team are not in the same fortunate financial position.
So, at a time when a second round of up to 200 redundancies are planned following the 250 jobs that were axed last year, Amorim and his players have decided to help out by paying for some tickets for the backroom team’s families.
“The situation is simple,” he said. “We have a lot of things, with people leaving and a lot of changes in the staff, so at this moment in our club sometimes it is hard to know when to give and when to take.
“We have to respect the people whose jobs are being taken to survive and rebuild.
“It is complicated for the club to start giving to other members of staff, which makes it a really hard position.
“That situation was explained so my reaction was to help.
“It is not going to change my life [financially]. To help the staff be there and comfortable means they will be better staff for the final.
“We talk to the players and the players have the same reaction – everybody wants their families there.”
Amorim has his own experience of a Europa League final, as a player in the Benfica side beaten on penalties by Sevilla in Turin in 2014.
Aside from the £100m financial windfall that qualification for the Champions League would bring, as a straightforward football match Amorim knows next week is not a game to lose.
“I will never say I was a finalist,” he said. “The feeling has to be ‘what a waste of time’.
“My message to the players is we have to win or it doesn’t matter.”
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