Man United turmoil claim: INEOS scrambled to replace Ten Hag, Ashworth opposed Amorim

A UK report alleges INEOS scrambled to find a new manager to replace Erik ten Hag, with claims they should have moved for Rúben Amorim but were blocked by Dan Ashworth. The story has reignited debate around Manchester United’s structure under the new football leadership and the process that led to Ten Hag’s 2024 extension. Fans are split between mocking the supposed chaos and arguing Ashworth showed restraint. The club has not publicly confirmed any of these claims. If accurate, the optics are messy and raise tough questions about alignment, decision speed, and clarity in United’s sporting vision.

The claims surface amid ongoing scrutiny of Manchester United’s post-takeover football structure. In mid-2024, after a season that ended with an FA Cup win, United conducted an end-of-season review and ultimately extended Erik ten Hag’s contract until 2026. During that period United were linked in UK media to multiple coaches, including Rúben Amorim. Dan Ashworth joined the club in 2024 to lead football operations. The new report suggests internal disagreement over managerial options at the height of that review, specifically referencing Amorim, though there has been no on-record confirmation from the club or principals involved.

🚨🗣️ A source on INEOS trying to find a new manager to replace Erik Ten Hag: "They were running around like headless chickens trying to find a new manager. It was a big mistake. They should have gone for Amorim then but Dan Ashworth was against that one." [@MailSport]

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

If the report is accurate, the immediate impact is reputational. Football departments live and die by process, and the picture painted is of a search that lacked sequencing, role clarity, and alignment on a short list. That feeds a narrative United have tried to outrun for a decade: big resources, unclear decisions. The longer-term concern is signal-to-market. Agents and coaches track how clubs behave. If they sense inconsistency, their leverage rises in negotiations, costs creep, and top targets hesitate. This is doubly relevant with a recruitment window always around the corner and a squad that still needs profiles that fit Ten Hag’s game model.

There is also an internal cost. Even a whisper of panic can unsettle players who want to know who is in charge, what the plan is, and how their roles evolve. Ten Hag’s authority depends on a coherent chain of command. If Ashworth did resist Amorim at the time, the counterargument is governance: sporting directors should filter and pace decisions. A fast no can be better than a rushed yes. Amorim is elite, but timing, fit, and access matter. Sporting CP guard their assets well, and releasing a coach mid-cycle is rarely simple. The smartest clubs simplify processes and reduce noise. United must show that now.

Reaction

Fan reaction splits into three lanes. First, ridicule. Some supporters laughed off the “headless chickens” line, saying it felt like a reality show and not the elite planning a club of United’s size should project. That tone carries a mix of gallows humor and exasperation, born from years of off-pitch drama overshadowing football.

Second, skepticism toward the report itself. Several fans questioned the legitimacy of anonymous sourcing and pointed to the outlet’s tabloid reputation. Variations of “A source... you made it up” and “if it’s from them, I doubt it” surfaced repeatedly. That skepticism matters because it shows a fanbase increasingly literate about media cycles, click incentives, and timing of leaks.

Third, a pro-Ashworth camp. A notable slice argued Ashworth was the “only smart one,” effectively praising a filter that stops fashionable but mistimed moves. Others added color, claiming his links to Gareth Southgate once complicated choices, while some insisted recent outcomes vindicate his caution. Across all camps there is fatigue with internal conflict stories, and a clear demand for a stable direction that protects Ten Hag’s dressing room and reduces off-field drama.

Social reactions

Ashworth was the 1 with a brain 🧠 then

Sullay BJ🇬🇲🇺🇸 (@SullayJr)

Dan Ashworth’s loyalty to Gareth Southgate ruined his career. He promised Gareth the job and was too full of himself to accept that it wasnt the right move for the club.

Lindus Akwid (@FrmMcr)

And Ashworth has been proven correct

GS (@guv_sandhu77)

Prediction

Short term, expect United to close ranks. Briefings will be tighter, messaging more aligned, and senior figures will emphasize continuity with Ten Hag while Ashworth pushes through squad planning built on clear role profiles. The club will try to move the conversation back to football and away from process gossip. That means rapid, visible wins: contract clarity, decisive exits, and targeted additions that echo a defined style.

Medium term, the managerial market will not wait. If results wobble, the same names will circle back into the conversation: Amorim, De Zerbi, McKenna, plus any elite coach who becomes available after European churn. United’s differentiator must be a clean process. Identify profile, align data and scouting, pre-agree terms pathways, then act only when timing meets opportunity. If they rebuild that trust with agents and coaches, United can control the next cycle rather than react to it.

Long term, either Ten Hag thrives and this becomes a footnote, or a 2025 window opens where an orderly transition is mapped months in advance. In both paths, the lesson is the same: fewer leaks, fewer shortlists, more clarity. That is how elite clubs operate.

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Conclusion

This story cuts to the heart of modern Manchester United. Structure beats star power. If the report is right, United flirted with a habit they’ve been trying to kick: chasing big names without calibrating timing and fit. If it’s exaggerated, the takeaway still stands. The only antidote to noise is a robust process that survives headlines and pressure.

Ten Hag has a contract and, crucially, a squad that needs coherent work. Ashworth was hired to provide that spine. Whether he said no to Amorim or not, his job is to ensure United choose well, not fast. Amorim remains top tier, but elite coaches come with context. United’s next steps will be judged on how efficiently they back the current manager and how professionally they handle future succession planning.

United do not need to win the rumor cycle. They need to win the next month, then the next. Clear roles, fewer mixed messages, sharper football decisions. Do that, and stories like this fade into the background.