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Olid replaces Skinner
Manchester United Women are set to name former Hearts boss Eva Olid as their new head coach after Marc Skinner left the role by mutual consent on Monday, with Olid, 40, meeting the United squad on Wednesday as the club finalise her appointment.
“will meet the United squad on Wednesday as the club finalise her appointment”
The BBC said Olid left Hearts this summer after guiding the Scottish Women’s Premier League club to its first league title last campaign, having joined Hearts in 2021 and signed an extension until the summer of 2026 with the option of a further year.
The Scotsman reported that Olid will replace Skinner a month before the start of the Women’s Super League season, and that United will begin their WSL season at London City Lionesses on September 4.
Under Skinner, United reached four domestic cup finals in as many seasons and won the club’s first major honour in women’s football with the 2024 FA Cup triumph, the Scotsman said.
The Guardian added that talks with the 40-year-old are understood to be very advanced and she is expected to be introduced to the United squad on Wednesday.
Players back youth plan
Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier said the team will “stick together” and be ready for the new WSL season despite Skinner departing, and the Guardian reported that Le Tissier and England teammate Ella Toone paid tribute to Skinner for his contribution over five years in charge.
Le Tissier told reporters that “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,” as the Guardian described her comments after the squad was informed of Skinner’s departure.
The New York Times reported that Toone said, “We’re focussing on ourselves and whatever decisions happen higher up, then that’s on them and we’ve got to remain focussed and ready for the start of the season.”
The BBC said United have changed their recruitment approach this year, targeting younger players in the hope of securing sustainable, long-term success, and it described one key requirement for Skinner’s replacement as a coach with a history of developing players.
The Scotsman said Skinner’s exit came after five years at the helm, and it noted that United reached the Champions League quarter-finals in the 2025-26 campaign before losing to Bayern Munich.
Budget, Europe, and timing
The Telegraph said United want to move in a new direction with a squad built around home-grown youth players, and it reported that Olid will have a limited budget and just four weeks to prepare her side for the start of the Women’s Super League.
“To compete in Europe you need to invest a little more, but the club was not open to it”
The Telegraph also quoted Olid from an interview with Spanish outlet ara, saying, “To compete in Europe you need to invest a little more, but the club was not open to it,” as it explained one reason she left Hearts.
The BBC said Olid left Hearts this summer after guiding the Edinburgh side to their first domestic final, but lost to Rangers in the 2024 Scottish Cup, and it added that Hearts finished two points clear of Rangers to win their first silverware last term.
The Scotsman reported that Olid joined Hearts in 2021 and helped guide the Edinburgh side to their first domestic final, but lost to Rangers in the 2024 Scottish Cup, and it said Hearts finished two points clear of Rangers to win their first silverware last campaign.
With United set to start their WSL season at London City Lionesses on 4 September, the BBC said the appointment comes a month before the start of the WSL season, while the Guardian said succession planning had already been well under way.
