Man Utd job: Five reasons why Oliver Glasner would be perfect fit to replace Ruben Amorim

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Oliver Glasner is among the contenders to succeed Ruben Amorim and become the new Manchester United head coach. The Austrian, 51, took over at Selhurst Park in February 2024 after Roy Hodgson ’s unhappy return to the club.

He kept them up and then led them to the first major silverware in the club’s history with the FA Cup and then the Community Shield - and into the top four of the Premier League earlier this season. The South London club are now playing their first European campaign in the UEFA Conference League, Glasner is out of contract in June and has claimed Palace’s packed fixture schedule has meant there is no time for talks.

But his appointment at Old Trafford would make plenty of sense for both him and Manchester United for a number of reasons...

1) He is a proven winner

In Germany, Glasner took Wolfsburg into the Champions League and then led Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title after beating Barcelona and West Ham .

He has made history at Crystal Palace by winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield after famous Wembley wins over Manchester City and Liverpool

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2) He plays 3-4-3 but is flexible

Glasner deploys three centre-backs but gives his wing-backs licence to get forward. Their recent slump in form has coincided with the injury to Daniel Munoz.

The Austrian started his managerial career at SV Reid and then as assistant at Red Bull Salzburg playing 4-4-2. He did the same at LASK but changed when they got promoted to the top flight.

He explained: “My two centre backs were too often surprised with long balls and I’m very pragmatic and I thought: ‘Okay, we need somebody who protects the space behind our centre backs. We have to take the one striker out and put him in between the middle ones. Of course not like a libero in former times but to be more compact and consistent in defence.

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“I have played 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 3-4-3, 3-5-2, I played everything, but the patterns were the same. So the philosophy never changed, but the system changes.”

And he insists having three central defenders works at Palace now because of his squad profile. “We have no physical monsters in central midfield,” he explained.

But before hosting Amorim’s side at Selhurst Park in November, Glasner said: "It's really funny that sometimes it's talking about this 3-4-3 system and I think that Man United and ourselves have the highest xg in the Premier League for scoring goals and playing the same system. So it looks like it's a good attacking system.”

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3) He is out of contract this summer

Manchester United are set to pay out £10m for the 18 months left on Amorim’s contract after splashing £200m in the summer transfer market. Glasner will come without compensation in the summer and without the need for an immediate overhaul in players. The Austrian also enjoys living in the UK and exploring London.

4) He is smart and diplomatic

Glasner has handled the impending departure of his captain Marc Guehi perfectly - and can be funny. He joked before Christmas he has been too busy to buy his wife a present and wore his lucky black Boss jumper on the way to FA Cup success. He has been unhappy about the slow business in the last two transfer markets and showed unusual candour after losing at home to the Old Trafford club and complaining about his squad depth for competing at home and abroad.

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He said: “It’s the first time in your history that you play European football. So let's invest instead of saving. We saved and that's what we're facing. I would have wished for a little bit more backing, yes. I think in January we just correct what we failed to do in the summer.”

Crystal Palace broke their club transfer record by signing Brennan Johnson for £35m in the first few days of the January window.

5) He cannot take Palace any further

Glasner has achieved miracles despite the South London club selling Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in the last two summer windows - and captain Guehi is out of contract in the summer and will leave then if not before. Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta will also be targets of big clubs at the end of the season as Palace are unlikely to be in Europe again.

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