United’s sacking of Ruben Amorim comes with a heavy financial burden, adding to previous costly payouts.
Manchester United’s decision to part ways with Ruben Amorim will come at a significant financial cost, with the club required to pay the Portuguese coach the remainder of his contract. Amorim, dismissed after 14 months in charge, is owed 18 months of salary due to a clause preventing any reduced settlement.
United confirmed Amorim’s departure in a brief statement, describing the move as “reluctant.” While results were poor, with the team finishing 15th in the Premier League—their lowest top‑flight position since relegation in 1974—the reluctance may have stemmed from the financial implications. Amorim’s annual wage was reported at £6.5 million, meaning the club must now pay £9.75 million to cover the remaining term until June 2027.
This latest payout adds to a growing list of costly managerial changes. In October 2024, United dismissed Erik ten Hag despite his recent contract extension. Compensation for Ten Hag and his coaching staff, including René Hake, Jelle ten Rouwelaar, Pieter Morel and Ruud van Nistelrooy, amounted to £10.4 million. Combined with other expenses, United’s official accounts revealed a total of £21.4 million spent on that departure.
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Amorim himself was expensive to appoint. United paid Sporting CP £11 million to secure his services and those of his coaching team, including Carlos Fernandes, Jorge Vital, Adélio Cândido, Emanuel Ferro and Paulo Barreira. The club’s financial strain was already evident, with minority co‑owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe warning last March that United risked “running out of money at Christmas” without drastic cost‑cutting. More than 400 non‑playing staff were made redundant during the 2024–25 season, yet Amorim remained in place until now, partly due to the payout clause.
Despite concerns over resources, Amorim oversaw significant spending in the transfer market. While Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven arrived in a quiet January 2025 window, the following summer saw United spend £232.5 million, the fifth‑highest outlay in the division. Results, however, failed to justify the investment, leaving the club in turmoil both on and off the pitch.
At his unveiling, Amorim had declared: “Call me naive but I believe I am the right guy at the right moment. I could be wrong but the Earth still will turn, the sun will rise again. It doesn’t matter.” His optimism has now given way to a costly reality for United, who must absorb yet another expensive managerial change.
