Amorim left United in January after just 14 months in charge but the club spent an eye-watering sum to have the Portuguese at the helm for that period
Ruben Amorim was in charge for 63 games at Manchester United, and while there may be different opinions as to his impact on the team and the footballing side of the club, there is no doubt that hiring and then firing the Portuguese was a significant strain on the club’s resources.
United were obliged to pay Sporting around £11m to hire Amorim in November 2024. The club’s accounts confirm that they paid an initial £4.7m to the Portuguese club in 2024 and have just written off another £6.3m as part of that payment.
Amorim last only 14 months before he was sacked by United in January. Michael Carrick was appointed as interim coach to lead the club until the end of the season. The club’s former midfielder was in contention with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the role and it is understood that the club wanted to pick either of the two in part to avoid additional spending on a coach.
Initial reports were that United would pay around £10m in exit compensation to Amorim and his assistants when he left the club. However, the club’s latest financial results show that the figure could in fact rise to as much as £15.9m.
The extent of the payment is dependent on a few conditions, including whether Amorim will get another job within a certain timeframe.
It means that, in total, hiring and firing Amorim could cost United a fee close to £26m, without including the salary he earned in those 14 months.
United are fourth and three points of clear of Chelsea in fifth under Amorim’s replacement Carrick, and are seeking to return to the Champions League next season to avoid further negative impact on their finances.
