Glasner and Maresca top next Manchester United manager market after Amorim axed
Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner and former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca are the early frontrunners to become the next Manchester United manager according to bookmakers after the Red Devils parted ways with Ruben Amorim on Monday morning.
Amorim, who launched a spectacular rant about his position following a 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday afternoon, appears to have exited after disagreements with the club's hierarchy – though the club insist the decision was results-based.
Ex-United midfielder Darren Fletcher has been placed in temporary charge and will be in the dugout when the Red Devils head to Burnley on Wednesday evening but talk is naturally already rife of who the long-term replacement will be in the Old Trafford dugout.
Bookmakers have moved swiftly to price up the next Manchester United manager betting market and the early frontrunners are two familiar names for Premier League fans in the form of Glasner and Maresca.
Glasner, 51, has worked wonders at Crystal Palace since taking over at Selhurst Park last February.
Having led the Eagles to wins in six of their last seven games in 2023-24, the Austrian then oversaw the most successful season in the club's history last term when finishing with a club record top-flight points haul of 53 points and memorably lifting the FA Cup – beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final.
Having also downed Liverpool in this season's Community Shield, there has been relentless speculation about his future for several months now and it is no surprise to see him heading many bookmakers' markets. Bet365 go 6/4 on Glasner to be the next Manchester United manager, while Star Sports are best price at 9/2.
Meanwhile, Maresca has only been out of work less than a week having unexpectedly departed Chelsea on New Year's Day.
Despite struggles for consistency, the 45-year-old Italian lifted two trophies during his 18-month stint at Stamford Bridge in the form of the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup. His exit, like Amorim, was said to be caused by a breakdown in relations with the Chelsea hierarchy.
Links with Maresca to the Manchester United post may stem largely from a strong relationship he supposedly enjoys with the Red Devils' director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada, who both worked with him at Manchester City when he was part of Pep Guardiola's coaching team.
His availability also appears an obvious plus and is enough for the likes of Betfred and BetVictor to position Maresca as their 2/1 favourite to be the next Manchester United manager.
In terms of alternative contenders, it is no surprise to see Sir Gareth Southgate once again linked with the Manchester United job.
The former England boss, who led the Three Lions to two European Championship finals during an eight-year stint as national manager, has been out of work for 18 months now and was strongly linked with the post when Amorim took charge.
His man-management skills are considered to be some of the best around but concerns over his tactical awareness – often perceived as being negative when in charge of England – may offer reservations for some United fans.
Still, it seems plausible that Southgate will be considered for the role if interested and bookmakers are taking little chances, instilling him no bigger than 12/1 to be the next Manchester United manager (Star Sports).
United have gone to the well with former players in such situations previously and Kieran McKenna could well come under consideration this time around.
The ex-United academy coach held prevalent roles in the setups of Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Ragnick but has since gone on to forge a fine career in senior management himself, leading Ipswich from League One to the Premier League with spectacular back-to-back promotions.
The 39-year-old Northern Irishman stayed loyal to the Tractor Boys after last season's relegation from the top flight and while he seems to be enjoying life in East Anglia, it would be hard to turn down the top job at his former club.
At the time of writing, McKenna is considered an outsider for the Manchester United job but is not without support at a best-price 20/1 (Ladbrokes/ Coral).
Most 'next manager' betting markets payout on a caretaker boss if they complete 10 games at the helm and – should he get off to a strong start – it's not beyond the realms that the popular Fletcher could see things through until the end of the season.
The Scot, who was a firm favourite of legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in his playing days, will take charge of Wednesday's trip to Burnley before a home FA Cup third round tie with Brighton on Sunday afternoon which surely will fall under his remit too.
Two wins there may well earn him a crack at two mouthwatering fixtures after that. First, a home derby with Manchester City on January 17th, before a trip to league leaders Arsenal a week later. Positive results against the current top sides could prompt a change of thought among the club's directors.
Bookmakers are all too aware of that possibility, with Fletcher no bigger than 5/1 (Bet365) to be paid out as the next Manchester United manager. Punters should, however, ensure they have read the market rules for their respective bookmaker as they do differ in settlement circumstances.
Reports suggest Amorim is set to net an estimated £9.75million payout for his Old Trafford exit, with a clause in his contract ensuring he would be paid his full salary should the club choose to part ways with him earlier than summer 2027.
Such a windfall means the 40-year-old will be in no rush to return to the touchline, though it will be interesting to see where he rocks up next.
A return to his native Portugal makes sense, with his stock remaining high in his home nation. Benfica would seemingly be the most logical destination, having spent a large chunk of his playing career with the club. A return was even touted in September when the club sacked Bruno Lage, though Jose Mourinho was eventually hired and is doing a reasonable job with the LIsbon giants currently.
So, it may be a case of biding his time and waiting for the right opportunity to arise. Amorim is still widely considered one of the most promising coaches of his generation, though only time will tell whether his underwhelming period in charge of Manchester United will adversely impact his chances of landing other top jobs in Europe.
Amorim departed the club with a meagre 38.71% win ratio – the second-lowest of any United manager in modern times behind only Ralf Rangnick (37.93%).
A refusal to budge from his 3-4-2-1 tactical shape drew widespread criticism but there was signs of steady improvement – leading his supporters to suggest he simply needed more time to embed his philosophy at Old Trafford.
One thing for certain is that the end of his tenure represents an ill-fated experiment for both Amorim and Manchester United.
All odds quoted in this article were correct as of 3pm on Monday January 5th, 2026.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
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"I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach!" | Ruben Amorim
When you realise Ruben Amorim and Enzo Maresca are the last two managers to win the Premier League manager of the month award 🤝
