AC Milan appoints Ruben Amorim to spearhead post-Allegri rebuild after Champions League miss
The former Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United boss signs a two-year deal to lead the seven-time European champions back toward the top of Serie A.
A new face at San Siro
AC Milan confirmed on Tuesday that Ruben Amorim will be the club’s new head coach, handing the 41‑year‑old a two-year contract with an option for a third season. The Portuguese coach arrives six months after being dismissed by Manchester United and steps into a role vacated by Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked following a fifth‑place Serie A finish that left Milan without Champions League football for the coming campaign.
There are ambitions that stay with you throughout your career, and coaching AC Milan has always been one of mine. I know exactly what this club means: history, prestige and an extraordinary fanbase around the world.
The club’s hierarchy had interviewed several candidates, including Mauricio Pochettino, but settled on Amorim. Owner Gerry Cardinale told the official website the club had followed Amorim for years and that his trajectory aligned with the playing style the club wants to build.
Why Allegri’s tenure ended
Milan’s 2025‑26 season unravelled on the final day when a shock 2‑1 home defeat by Cagliari left them behind both Roma and Como in the race for Italy’s two remaining Champions League spots. Protests by supporters against American owners RedBird intensified, and the club responded with a sweeping clear‑out. Alongside Allegri, CEO Giorgio Furlani and sporting directors Igli Tare and Geoffrey Moncada all departed.
Allegri, who won one Serie A title with Milan and five with Juventus, is widely expected to take over at Napoli in the coming days after Antonio Conte’s exit. His dismissal underlined the pressure on Milan to reverse a decline that, despite a league title in 2022, has left the club playing a supporting role behind Inter and a resurgent Napoli.
Amorim’s path to Milan
The appointment marks Amorim’s return to management after a difficult 14‑month spell at Old Trafford. He replaced Erik ten Hag in November 2024 but could only guide United to a 15th‑place finish, the club’s worst in the Premier League era. A Europa League final defeat to Tottenham and a brief public criticism of the board sealed his fate; United paid £16.7 million to terminate his contract in January 2026. His successor, Michael Carrick, subsequently steered United to third place and a Champions League return.
Before United, Amorim built his reputation at Sporting Lisbon. He took over in March 2020 and delivered the club’s first league title in 19 years in the 2020‑21 season, then added a second championship in 2023‑24, alongside two League Cups and a Super Cup. His earlier work at Braga and Casa Pia cemented a profile as a coach who develops young talent and imposes a clear tactical identity.
- Begins coaching career at Casa Pia
- Appointed Sporting CP manager
- Wins first league title with Sporting, ending 19‑year drought
- Claims second Primeira Liga title with Sporting
- Replaces Erik ten Hag at Manchester United
- Sacked by Manchester United after 14 months
- Appointed AC Milan head coach
The task ahead
Amorim becomes the third Portuguese to coach Milan, following short spells by Paulo Fonseca (24 games, 50 percent win rate) and Sérgio Conceição, who salvaged an Italian Super Cup but left after a similar record. The new manager’s stated aim is to restore Champions League football, and with Italian media reporting a net salary of €3.5 million ($4.06 million) a year, the club has made a significant financial commitment.
The rebuild will take place against a backdrop of supporter discontent and a Serie A landscape in which rivals Inter and Napoli have pulled clear. Amorim acknowledged the weight of the challenge, pledging to embrace the passion that drives the Rossoneri fanbase and to get to work immediately.
