Antonio Conte, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer among best fits for Man Utd 'DNA' after Ruben Amorim axe - Between the Lines
Man Utd must appoint a manager who fits with their footballing DNA, according to Gary Neville, but would fit the bill? Between the Lines breaks down the side's stylistic profile under Sir Alex Ferguson and ranks the managers whose approaches are most similar
Wednesday 7 January 2026 11:16, UK
Gary Neville has said the next Manchester United manager must suit the DNA of the club, so who fits the bill? As their hierarchy begin talks with prospective candidates, Between the Lines returns with a look at how their options stack up.
Darren Fletcher has been put in caretaker charge as Manchester United search for a replacement for Ruben Amorim and Neville insists it's time to return to the club's traditions following a string of "experiments" after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.
Neville told Sky Sports News: "Louis van Gaal had his own philosophy. Jose Mourinho plays a certain style of football. So does David Moyes. Erik ten Hag, a very different style of football. Ruben Amorim, again, a very different style of football.
"You can't say these managers are not good coaches but they've all come in with different ideas, different styles of play, different philosophies and none of them really fit the Man Utd way."
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So, with Oliver Glasner, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Enzo Maresca, Xavi, Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane among the names being linked to replace Amorim, which prospective candidate's playing style fits best with the club's identity?
What is Man Utd's DNA?
Neville referenced a video circulating online in which Sir Bobby Charlton describes Manchester United's DNA. "Adventurous, exciting football, playing young players, entertaining the crowd," he said.
Charlton traces it back to Sir Matt Busby, under whom Manchester United won five domestic titles and a European Cup in the 1950s and 60s with a youthful side playing attacking football.
Ferguson harnessed the same traditions as United emerged as the Premier League's dominant force under his management, using a front-footed approach emphasising wing play and quick attacks.
The club moved away from those principles post Ferguson, typified by the appointment of a manager, in Amorim, whose devotion to an incongruous back three became a bone of contention.
And Neville is adamant about what the next man should bring. "Ajax will never change for anybody, Barcelona will never change for anybody. I don't believe Man Utd should change for anybody.
"The club have to find a manager now who's got experience, who's willing to play fast, entertaining, attacking, aggressive football."
The best and worst fits revealed
To create a template for Manchester United's DNA, we used 15 style metrics from Ferguson's final season in charge in 2012/13, when he secured the last of his 13 Premier League titles as manager.
Manchester United's triumph that season was clinched in characteristically offensive style. Using a 4-2-3-1 formation, they scored 11 goals more than any other side, placing an emphasis on attacking speed, width and crossing.
When comparing prospective candidates and selected managers by their numbers in the same 15 metrics in league games managed, it is former Chelsea and Spurs boss Antonio Conte who ranks as the best statistical fit for United's DNA.
The Napoli boss, who has been previously linked with the Old Trafford job, has a suitability score of 78.89 out of 100, based on his work with Chelsea and Spurs, putting him just ahead of former Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who is currently managing the Portuguese national team.
Stuttgart's Sebastian Hoeness is next on the list, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fourth, with a suitability score of 77.74 out of 100. Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone completes the top five, just ahead of Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, now in charge of Coventry.
Marcelo Bielsa, Carlo Ancelotti and Michael Carrick also make our top 10.
Fulham boss Marco Silva is 11th and Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is 12th - just ahead of three other managers who have been linked with the vacancy in former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino and England's Thomas Tuchel.
Recently-axed Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who has also been linked, sits 20th in our list, with a suitability score of 67.52 out of 100.
Pep Guardiola was a reported target for Manchester United before his appointment at Manchester City back in 2016 but interestingly, he sits bottom of our 32-man list, with a stylistic suitability score of just 50.77 out of 100.
Some of the mooted candidates to take over from Amorim sit low in the list too, including Gareth Southgate, Kieran McKenna, Roberto De Zerbi and the Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, suggesting they are not great fits for the club's DNA.
Explore our interactive graphic to see how our selected managers' styles compare to Manchester United's DNA under Ferguson.
