Marc Skinner has left his position as Manchester United women's manager by mutual consent, a month before the 2026-27 Women's Super League season is due to kick off.

The 43-year-old spent five years in charge at United, a tenure that brought the club its first major trophy — the Women's FA Cup in 2024 — and a first-ever berth in the Women's Champions League group stages the following year. He also guided United to three domestic cup finals they would go on to lose, making him a manager whose record reads both historic and agonisingly close.

Skinner signed a new two-year contract in April 2025, one that ran until June 2027 with an option for a further year, as Manchester United's official site reported at the time. That deal was meant to provide stability. Instead, the summer brought conversations between Skinner and the club that ended with a mutual agreement to part ways.

The backdrop was a quiet transfer window. Skinner had publicly raised concerns over a lack of investment in his squad while rivals Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all added players. United's supporters grew frustrated at the inactivity, and the pressure told on a manager who had been asked to punch upward with one hand tied behind him.

United, for their part, changed their recruitment approach this year. The club targeted younger players in the hope of building sustainable, long-term success rather than chasing ready-made stars. As part of that shift, the girls' academy will train at Carrington — United's main training facility — this season, a move BBC Sport reported in July.

The new manager will inherit a club with a clear identity but unfinished ambitions. United are advanced in their search for Skinner's replacement, with background checks on potential candidates already completed, according to sources at the club. One of the key requirements: a coach with a proven history of developing players.

The timing is tight. United's season opens on 4 September with a trip to London City Lionesses, a side who finished fifth last season and have since signed two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas — a statement signing that tells you everything about the rising ambition in the women's game below the traditional elite. Elsewhere in the market, Lyon defender Alice Sombath joined Tottenham, another sign that WSL clubs are investing in top-tier talent from across Europe.

Skinner's own journey to this point was a long one. Before United, he served as head coach at Birmingham City. He was appointed at Old Trafford in July 2021 on a two-year deal with the option for a further year, and he leaves having raised the ceiling of what Manchester United Women could aspire to, even if the walls around it sometimes felt too close.

For fans, the feeling is likely mixed gratitude and restlessness. Skinner delivered moments that will live in the club's memory. The question now is whether the next manager can deliver them more often — and with the backing to match.