Paul Merson says Ruben Amorim's comments regarding leaving Old Trafford without compensation have given Manchester United a potential route to parting ways with their head coach.
Amorim said he would leave without a pay-off if United's board and fans wanted him to after the painful Europa League final loss to Tottenham on Wednesday.
The spotlight is firmly on Amorim's Old Trafford future after Man Utd wasted their get-out-of-jail-free card at the end of a wretched domestic campaign, as the side 16th in the Premier League lost 1-0 to 17th-placed Spurs in Bilbao.
United's first Europa League defeat of the season came at the worst possible time and means they will be without continental football for the first time since 2014/15 next term.
Merson, speaking on Sky Sports News, thinks Amorim does not want to be at United and that the club's board now have a way out if they do not see a future with the Portuguese boss.
"I don't think Amorim really wants to be there," Merson said.
"When you turn around and say, 'I'd leave tomorrow without any compensation', that tells me he wants to be put out of his misery.
"Man Utd are also in a position now where, if they don't want him, they've had a result. He said he'll walk away without any compensation so they've now got a way out. They now won't have to pay fortunes to get rid of him."
'Amorim saw this coming'
The Europa League final defeat has increased the spotlight on Amorim.
He has won just six Premier League matches since succeeding Erik ten Hag in November and Merson does not see the situation improving at Old Trafford any time soon.
"It's a huge setback for Man Utd," Merson said. "There's so much work to be done at Man Utd.
"Amorim saw all this coming. He didn't want to come until the end of the season. He knew there was a lot of work to be done and there's a lot more now.
"It's worrying times for Man Utd. I don't see them finishing in the top half of the table next season. To say that about Man Utd is mind-blowing. It's mind-blowing to think that I'd be shocked if they finished in the top half of the table next season."
'Players will want to join Spurs over United'
After another difficult season, United will enter yet another summer rebuild under Amorim, but Merson believes the club will find it just as difficult to move players on as they will buying new "proven" players after missing out on Champions League qualification.
"To start with, they've got to keep their better players and go from there," Merson added
"I don't see too many of the United players being bought. Bruno Fernandes would probably be one of them, then there's Alejandro Garnacho because he's young, but a lot of the same players will be there next season.
"There's a massive rebuild that needs to happen. But the defeat means the quality of players they are going to be bringing in are going to be massive gambles. They could be hits or misses, they aren't going to be proven players.
"Years ago, everyone wanted to play for Man Utd and I'm not sure that's the case now.
"If Spurs are going for the same player as Man Utd, I think the player goes to Tottenham, and that tells you all you need to know about what is happening at Man Utd."
Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games from next season
From next season, Sky Sports' Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games next season are on Sky Sports.