Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has brushed off speculation surrounding a training ground meeting with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, joking that the visit was simply to offer him a new contract.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of United’s crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday, Amorim downplayed the nature of Ratcliffe’s visit to Carrington, calling it a “normal” show of support during a challenging period for the club.
“New contract, he was offering me a new contract,” Amorim laughed when asked about the meeting. “No, it’s normal things — just to show support, explaining that it’s a long project.”
Ratcliffe, along with CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, reportedly met with Amorim to assess the current state of the team and review data related to their disappointing start to the 2025/26 season.
Amorim is facing mounting scrutiny after winning just one of United’s opening four Premier League matches and suffering a shock exit in the Carabao Cup second round to League Two side Grimsby Town.
“This is football, and this is maybe the club with more pressure than any in the world,” Amorim acknowledged. “But we want to win.”
United’s most recent outing — a 3-0 defeat to rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford — left them languishing in 14th place on the league table, just one spot above their historically poor finish last season.
Despite the early struggles, Amorim remains optimistic, insisting that there are visible signs of improvement.
“Last year I was very critical of the way we played,” he said. “I think we are playing well until the boxes — defending and attacking. We just need to be more aggressive and clinical in both boxes.”
Amorim has had a rare full week on the training ground to regroup with his squad and prepare for Sunday’s showdown against Chelsea, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
“We used the time to analyse the last game and the next game, and to prepare different things,” he explained. “We are improving compared to last year. We are in a better place — but we need to win.”
United fans will be hoping the extended preparation and leadership reassurances can help turn their season around, starting with a strong performance against Mauricio Pochettino’s side this weekend.
Manchester United vs Chelsea
Sunday, 20th September
Kick-off: 5:30 PM
