Amorim Axed
The 40-year-old manager arrived in the North West from Sporting CP with a stellar resume, having twice led the Lisbon outfit to the Portuguese title throughout his time in charge there. However, this time in Manchester will be remembered in infamy. Amorim presided over United's worst Premier League finish in over four decades last term as the Red Devils finished 15th. If that wasn't bad enough, they collapsed in the Europa League final in Bilbao, handing Tottenham Hotspur their first trophy in 17 years and a spot in this season's Champions League.
Back-to-back draws against Wolves and Leeds, coupled with an explosive meeting with Wilcox and Berrada, have now sealed Amorim's fate, but is United's fate sealed as well? Online betting sites are seemingly unconvinced. The latest Bovada sports betting odds make the Red Devils a 5/1 outsider to finish in the top four this season, and those odds will surely drift further should interim boss Darren Fletcher preside over more disappointing results.
But while a cloud looms over Old Trafford, opportunity beckons for Fantasy Premier League managers. United have been somewhat untouchable for many FPL bosses around the world, primarily due to their inconsistent ways under Amorim. But with the Portuguese manager now gone and some forgotten faces poised to return to the fold, which names should you consider transferring into your fantasy team? Let's take a look.
⚽️ Next permanent Manchester United manager odds:
— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) January 5, 2026
Enzo Maresca: +275
Oliver Glasner: +400
Darren Fletcher: +500
Gareth Southgate: +900
Xavi: +900
Michael Carrick: +1200
Julian Nagelsmann: +1200
Marco Silva: +1200 pic.twitter.com/gailHZSP7Y
Kobbie Mainoo
Two years ago, Kobbie Mainoo was the apple of everyone's eye at Old Trafford. The teenage midfielder shot to prominence throughout an incredible breakout 2023/24 season, with former manager Erik Ten Hag handing the academy product his chance in the United first team. He duly rewarded the Dutch boss with a slew of stellar displays, even scoring a winner in that season's FA Cup final and becoming a star of England's run to the Euro 2024 final.
But under Amorim, things have been far different for the young Englishman. Mainoo hasn't started a single Premier League game for United this term, despite the fact that he remains regarded as one of the hottest young prospects in English football today. However, with the Portuguese manager now dispatched, the door has been opened for Mainoo's return to the United first team. And, with the prospect of a spot in England's World Cup squad hanging in the balance, the 20-year-old will certainly be highly motivated to deliver should he be handed a position in the Red Devils' midfield.
Commanding a transfer fee of just £4.6m, Mainoo represents the perfect low-risk option for FPL managers. Slot him on the bench, and should any of your starting 11 not deliver, then you can sub in the Manchester United man, knowing that he will surely be starting throughout this transitional period under Fletcher. Expect him to deliver just as he did when he was bursting onto the scene 18 months ago.
Harry Maguire
Giant central defender Harry Maguire has been a much-maligned figure throughout pretty much the entirety of his five and a half years at Old Trafford. The Yorkshireman was named club captain within months of his £70m signing from Leicester City in the summer of 2019, but then the critics circled. Several high-profile mistakes and a myriad of inconsistencies saw Maguire become somewhat of a meme for opposition supporters, but even so, he remains with United today.
The 32-year-old had fallen out of favour under Amorim, despite his heroics in United's run to the Europa League final last season. But with a transitional period now here, interim boss Fletcher will require experience and players he can rely on to see him through his temporary stint in charge. One such man he can surely rely on is Maguire.
Lenny Yoro has been a mainstay in the United defence this term, while the returning Lisandro Martinez has also been immediately thrust into the squad. But with Matthijs de Ligt on the treatment table, the Red Devils are desperate for some experience in the heart of their defence. Maguire, alongside either Martinez or Yoro, is surely the direction in which Fletcher will head. If he does, FPL managers could be in for points, and plenty of them.
Much like Mainoo, Maguire is a budget option, costing just £4.3m. He, too, can sit on the bench, and if one of your defenders has a disaster-class, substitute him in. You won't regret it.