Manchester United are on the verge of appointing Eva Olid, the former Hearts manager, as their new head coach following Marc Skinner's departure earlier this week, according to multiple reports.
Negotiations with the 40-year-old Spaniard are said to be at an advanced stage, and she could be unveiled to the United squad as soon as Wednesday. The move was first reported by the Telegraph before further details emerged confirming United's confidence in Olid as the figure to guide the Women's Super League club through its next phase.
Olid steered Hearts to their maiden Scottish Women's Premier League title last season, sealing the triumph on a tense final day. Her departure from the Edinburgh side had already been agreed in April, ending a five-year spell during which she also led Hearts to the 2024 Scottish Cup final, a match they lost to Rangers.
Before her time in Scotland, Olid gained coaching experience in the United States with Houston Dynamo, where she worked with both the women's first team and the men's under-19s. She also had a stint with the Catalan Football Association earlier in her career.
United officials are said to be drawn to Olid's attacking philosophy and her track record of developing players, qualities that align with the club's stated ambition to build around young, homegrown talent rather than compete in the WSL's escalating spending arms race. Sources indicate United had already begun background checks on Olid before publicly confirming Skinner's exit on Monday, suggesting succession planning was well underway behind the scenes.
Skinner's exit was reportedly driven in part by his unease with United's shifting transfer approach. The club is understood to view current spending levels across the WSL as unsustainable and instead wants to prioritize academy development as a route to long-term success. United finished fourth in the league last season and will open their new campaign away to London City Lionesses, one of the division's biggest spenders, on September 4.
The managerial change came as United captain Maya Le Tissier addressed the squad's mood, insisting the players remain united heading into a new campaign despite the upheaval. Skinner informed his players of his departure in a meeting on Monday morning, shortly before the news broke publicly. Both Le Tissier and England international Ella Toone praised his contribution to the club, which included lifting the Women's FA Cup in 2024.
Le Tissier said the "energy he brought to the club was amazing," while Toone reflected on the manner of his departure. "He wanted to tell the team before it came out. It was nice that he was able to tell us [and] he was able to say goodbye, because he's done a lot for the club," Toone said. "We can't thank him enough for everything he's done, the hard work and the passion that he's put into leading this team."
Le Tissier confirmed that neither she nor Toone had been consulted over the identity of Skinner's successor but expressed confidence in the club's direction. "I think the club have been pretty clear with what they've said, bringing through the youth, that's something Manchester United has been kind of made for, and they've always done that historically," she said. "When we speak to the new manager, the ambitions will be clear."
She added that she and Toone remain focused on winning trophies regardless of who takes charge. "No matter who comes and goes, we've always had that togetherness and that fight for each other and we stick together in tough moments," Le Tissier said. "We spoke to the girls today, we'll stick together, we always do. We've got to go out on the pitch, enjoy playing football and being with each other and we'll get through it."
Based on reporting from the Guardian.