Ruben Amorim's offer to quit Man Utd, Fernandes exit claim, Shaw's honest remark

Daily Mirror

22-05-2025

Manchester United's players and head coach Ruben Amorim have come out with bombshell statements following the side's 1-0 Europa League final defeat by Tottenham, which summed up a diabolical campaign
Manchester United capped off their worst season in 51 years by going out with a whimper in their Europa League final clash with Tottenham.
Ruben Amorim's side needed a win to salvage their season and qualify for next term's Champions League after a woeful campaign, which could see them finish the Premier League season just one place above the relegation zone in 17th.
‌
But the Red Devils couldn't find the net against a Spurs side who had also endured a tumultuous season to forget. It was the north Londoners who emerged the 1-0 victors and lifted their first trophy since 2008, thanks to a goal that deflected in off Brennan Johnson late in the first half.
‌
The fallout from United's Europa League heartbreak has been seismic, with fans and pundits agreeing that Wednesday night's defeat marked a new low for the club. And with the side missing out on European football for the first time since 2014/15, Mirror Football takes a look at some eye-opening comments from United's dejected head coach and players in the wake of their loss.
Ruben Amorim offers to quit
A defeated Amorim offered to quit United in his post-match press conference, promising that he would leave without receiving any compensation if the club believed he was no longer good enough to be head coach.
Having been appointed in November, the former Sporting CP boss has only managed to win six out of 26 league games, and has now failed to secure European football for next season by missing out on silverware.
Amorim stated he remains confident in his methods but reiterated that it was down to the club's decision-makers and supporters to decide if he is the right man to continue at the helm.
"In this moment, I am not going to be here defending myself, it is not my style," Amorim said. "I cannot do it, it is really hard for me. So I have nothing to show the fans to say I am going to improve because of this, I had these problems, I will not do nothing [sic].
‌
"In this moment, it's a little bit of faith. So let's see. Like I said before, coming here before in the flash, I am always open. If the board and fans feel that I'm not the right guy, I will go the next day without any conversation about compensation. But I will not quit again. I am really confident in my job and, as you can see, I will not change nothing in the way I do things."
Amorim went on to say that United were the better team against Tottenham but addressed the side's lack of firepower, adding: "What I can say is it was clear we were the better team, but we managed not to score again, and that is really hard to win football matches. But the guys tried everything to win the game. In the future, we will have time to assess everything."
Bruno Fernandes follows suit
Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes echoed his manager's comments by saying he would be willing to leave this summer if club bosses decide to cash in on him. The 30-year-old, who joined in January 2020 and has made close to 300 appearances, has consistently been United's best player in their worst era in recent memory.
‌
But his efforts proved fruitless again on Wednesday. He missed out on the chance to land his biggest trophy as a United player with a second Europa League final defeat, which ensured he will not be playing any European football next season.
The midfielder, who turns 31 in September, has two years remaining on his contract with the option of a further year. He has recently been linked with a stunning move to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, with such a transfer transforming the financial picture at United.
‌
While Fernandes insists he's happy to stay at Old Trafford and help Amorim in his rebuild, the Portugal international astonishingly revealed he would be willing to leave if club bosses look to sell him.
"I have always been honest. I've always said I will be here until the club says to me that it's time to go," he admitted post-game. "I'm eager to do more, to be able to bring the club the great days. On 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 cashing in or whatever, it's what it is, and football sometimes is like this. It's very sad. We wanted to win more than anything in this final. It's a very sad day because we've done some very good things in this competition until today.
‌
"But today was the day that mattered, the most important day of the competition. It was the day we could have been in the history of the Europa League, but it's not like that. And football is cruel, and it's been our turn to lose."
Luke Shaw's brutal honesty
Defender Luke Shaw, who played the full 90 minutes of the crushing defeat in Bilbao, said his team-mates must take a look at themselves and decide whether they are good enough to be at the club.
‌
"It's hard to put into words the season, but I think for a club like Manchester United, it's not really good enough," said the England left-back.
"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."
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.