Manchester United line up Oliver Glasner as leading summer successor to Ruben Amorim

Manchester United’s search for a new head coach is already taking shape, with Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner emerging as a leading candidate.

The club’s hierarchy are likely to make a permanent appointment in the summer rather than immediately.

It is another pivotal decision INEOS must take after a turbulent period that has forced yet another reset at Old Trafford.

Why Oliver Glasner is on Manchester United’s managerial shortlist

Glasner’s rise has been hard to miss. Since arriving at Crystal Palace, he has moulded them into one of the Premier League’s most difficult teams to play against.

That progress culminated in historic success last season, as Palace lifted the 2025 FA Cup, the first major trophy in the club’s history, as well as qualifying for European competition.

But United’s interest is not purely about silverware. There is admiration for the clarity of Glasner’s ideas and, crucially, his adaptability.

While he is closely associated with a back-three system and does not prioritise possession in the way United traditionally aspire to, those who have tracked his career point to a coach willing to adjust to his squad rather than impose rigid ideology.

That flexibility is seen as a contrast to the limitations that ultimately undermined Ruben Amorim, who was sacked after recording the worst win rate of any United boss since 1972.

The timing also looks fitting. The 51-year-old is widely expected to leave Selhurst Park in the summer, making him an attainable option should United decide to wait.

Are Manchester United waiting until summer to appoint a new manager?

The prevailing mood inside Old Trafford is that there is little appetite for another short-term fix.

Much will depend on minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how quickly he wants a permanent figurehead in place, but the sense following Amorim’s departure is that the club are prepared to bide their time.

That approach would suit Glasner, who has his own unfinished business at Palace.

Despite public frustrations this season, including vocal opposition to player sales and repeated calls for more backing in the transfer market, there is a belief he would prefer to see the season through.

Palace remain in contention for the Europa Conference League, and the chance to deliver the club’s first European trophy carries obvious appeal.

United, for their part, will be explicit with any candidate about the terms of the role.

A major talking point before Amorim’s dismissal was the confusion around whether he was the club’s manager or head coach and what the difference was.

United are hiring a head coach who is expected to work within a broader sporting structure, rather than operate with full control.

Who else could replace Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford?

Glasner is not the only name under discussion.

United are revisiting several options they assessed during the summer of 2024, including Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, who is widely regarded as a coach comfortable working within a defined hierarchy.

There is also appreciation for Enzo Maresca, who is available now after departing Chelsea.

Julian Nagelsmann remains a more speculative possibility. Some sources believe he could yet come into the frame, particularly given his relationship with United recruitment director Christopher Vivell from their time in the Red Bull network.

Nagelsmann is currently focused on Germany and the 2026 World Cup, but a return to club football thereafter has not been ruled out.

For now, however, United’s focus is on getting the process right rather than getting it done quickly.

Glasner’s name is top on the list, and with the club seemingly willing to wait, the pieces may yet fall into place over the coming months.