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After an incredibly disappointing domestic season, the Europa League final was seen as a chance for salvation for Manchester United – a ray of light in a dark campaign.
But after Wednesday’s defeat in Bilbao to fellow Premier League bottom-dweller Tottenham Hotspur, what does the future hold for the club and, in particular, manager Ruben Amorim?
Wednesday’s result caps off a historically poor season for United, missing out on the Champions League next year as a result and the substantial financial windfall that comes with it.
Amorim, who was hired by the club in November after the firing of Erik ten Hag, has overseen the team’s slide down the Premier League table.
The Red Devils currently sitting 16th, far outside the European qualification positions, and suffering a club-record 18 defeats along the way, the most in a single campaign since the Premier League was launched in 1992. Not to mention, the club is on course for its worst-ever Premier League finish.
The Europa League final offered United – and similarly Spurs – a chance to redeem an underwhelming campaign with a trophy and a spot in European soccer’s top club competition, but defeat brings into focus how much work needs to be done during the offseason.
Despite only being hired six months ago, Amorim faced questions from the media about his own future at the club after defeat in Spain, refusing to rule out leaving if the owners decide he isn’t the right man for the job.
“I have nothing to show to the fans,” the Portuguese manager told reporters. “So, in this moment it is a little bit of faith. Let’s see. I am always open. If the board and fans feel I am not the right guy, I will go the next day without any conversation about compensation.
“But I will not quit. I am really confident in my job. And as you see, I will not change anything in the way I do things.”
While Amorim was uncertain about his future, he appears to have the support of United’s players, with two of the senior members of the squad voicing their support for him.
Left-back Luke Shaw said Amorim is “100% the right man” for the United manager job and star midfielder Bruno Fernandes concurred.
“I don’t think what happened this season shows exactly what he is as a manager,” Fernandes told TNT Sports. “Obviously, the results always talk louder, but I do think he’s the right manager for the future of this club.”
What next after a season to forget?
The mood was understandably somber among United’s players and coaches after the defeat Wednesday night, as their last chance to salvage any glimmer of positivity from a disappointing season slipped away.
Many key players took the opportunity to reflect on the poor campaign, with England international Shaw apologizing for the team’s performances throughout the year.
“It’s hard to put into words, the season, but I think for a club like Manchester United, it’s not really good enough,” Shaw told reporters. “I think definitely me and I think all of us have to question ourselves tonight. Are we good enough to be here? Because this club, this season, it’s not acceptable.
“We know that and it’s down to us. I think we have to look at ourselves. Something has to change.”
One thing that will likely change over the summer will be the squad. There are some players whose contracts are expiring – Victor Lindelöf and Christian Eriksen’s deals run out this year – while there are others who have been linked with moves away.
Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho has been linked with a move and speculation will only increase after he expressed frustration after Wednesday’s final, saying: “Obviously, it’s hard for everyone. Our season was sh*t. We didn’t beat anyone in the league. We lacked a lot of things.
“Until we reached the final, I played every round. And I played 20 minutes today – I don’t know. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.”
Similarly, 20-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has reportedly attracted interest from other clubs and could be on the move. Even United captain Fernandes has been linked away from the north of England, with clubs in Saudi Arabia reportedly sniffing around a transfer.
Fernandes has been one of the shining lights for United over recent years, despite the club’s poor form, but even he admitted he could move this summer if the board decides to “cash in.”
“I’ve always said I will be here until the club says to me that it’s time to go,” the 30-year-old said, per The Athletic. “I’m eager to do more, to be able to bring the club to great days. In the day that the club thinks that I’m too much or it’s time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it.
“But I’ve always said it and I keep my word in the same way. If the club thinks it’s time to part ways because they want to do some cash in or whatever, it’s what it is, and football sometimes is like this.”
There appears to be a cloud hanging over Manchester United – its final game of the season at home to Aston Villa on Sunday is sure to be a morose affair – and it appears a lot of work is needed for the Red Devils to return to the heights of years past.