Man Utd’s £30m Ruben Amorim mistake: True cost of Old Trafford failure revealed

Robin Bairner

5 Jan 2026 14:03 GMT
4 min read

Rúben Amorim, Manchester United — © IMAGO

Ruben Amorim’s sacking at Manchester United is not a decision that the Old Trafford club will have come to lightly.

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The Portuguese was jettisoned on Monday following a 1-1 draw against Leeds in the Premier League less than 24 hours earlier.

The result left Man Utd sixth in the standings, yet it appears to have been Amorim’s public rant against the board’s transfer policy that was the final straw.

“I was hired to be the manager, not just the coach. Everyone needs to do their job - the board, the CEO, the sporting director. This is not just about the pitch,” he fumed.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have grown notorious for their penny-pinching style since taking over the running of the football side of things at the Red Devils, so paying off the Portuguese will be a source of frustration for the Old Trafford board.

But just how much will United be forced to shell out in compensation to Amorim?

© IMAGO - Ruben Amorim: Sacked by Man Utd

How much did it cost Man Utd to sack Ruben Amorim?

Man Utd will have to pay off the remainder of Amorim’s contract. When he arrived from Sporting CP in November 2024, he signed a deal that ran through until June 2027.

Despite Ratcliffe claiming that the Portuguese deserved at least three years to turn things around at Old Trafford, the manager has been sacked with 18 months left remaining on his deal.

Given that Amorim’s wage was estimated at around £6.7 million per year (€7.5m), he is still owed around £10m by the Red Devils.

The cost to Man Utd will run to a figure significantly greater than this, though. The Red Devils will also part company with Amorim’s staff, pushing the cost of the decision up further.

How much did Man Utd pay Sporting for Amorim?

United are also counting the cost of signing Amorim from Sporting CP, which came at no small price in November 2024.

They spent nearly £10m to prise him away from the Portuguese club by way of compensation, according to BBC Sport.

How much did Ruben Amorim cost Man Utd?

Ruben Amorim earned approximately £7.8m in wages during his tenure as Man Utd manager and will receive an estimated £10m in compensation from the club.

Throw in the £10m that United spent to bring him from Sporting and another estimated £2m that it will cost to pay off his staff, and the total cost of the Portuguese to the Old Trafford side will come to around £30m.