The crazy amount that Man Utd could be forced to pay Ruben Amorim in compensation revealed

Robin Bairner

• 27 Feb 2026 07:45 CST
• 4 min read

News

The cost of Manchester United for sacking Ruben Amorim could balloon to three times the previously reported figure as the Old Trafford side counts the expense of another failed manager.

Amorim was sacked on 5 January following a disappointing spell that lasted little over a year at the helm of the Old Trafford outfit.

Initial reports indicated that Amorim would be paid €11.6m to depart his post, but a report from The Telegraph states that the true cost to the Red Devils could climb to nearly three times that figure.

Should this ceiling be reached, it will mean that United have spent more than €120m in sacking failed managers following the retirement of legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 – a figure substantially more than United have ever paid for a player.

Man Utd reveal official cost of sacking Amorim

In a report made to the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, United confirmed the cost of Amorim’s exit.

The club stated: “A charge of £6.3m (€7.2m) for the write off of related intangible assets and a provision of £15.9m (€18.6m), representing the maximum potential amount of future settlement payments, will be recognised in the statement of profit or (loss) during the second half of the year ending 30 June 2026.”

In addition to the cost of Amorim’s departure, there is also the added compensation associated with parting with his staff, which could drive the total figure above €30m.

The Telegraph, meanwhile, reports that the manager’s compensation package will depend on numerous factors, one of which is whether he takes another job.

How much have Man Utd paid to sack managers since 2013?

Ferguson hand-picked David Moyes as his replacement in 2013, but the Scotsman failed to land his two big targets during the summer window - Cesc Fabregas and Gareth Bale - and things went downhill quickly.

Moyes was sacked before the end of his debut Man Utd season, with his six-year contract ending extremely prematurely in April 2014. The Red Devils paid Moyes and his backroom staff €6.2m in compensation.

Louis van Gaal was the next permanent Man Utd manager and despite a slight upturn in results, he also failed to deliver consistent success at Old Trafford and his payoff was over €10m upon his sacking in May 2016.

Jose Mourinho enjoyed a fantastic first season at Man Utd, winning the EFL Cup and the Europa League, before guiding them to a second-place finish in the 2017-18 Premier League season.

However, he was sent back into unemployment in December 2018, with Man Utd forced to pay €23.5m to sack The Special One.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Mourinho’s replacement, was sacked just under three years later, with a €12m payoff, while Man Utd paid Ralf Rangnick €18m in compensation, despite the fact he was only an interim manager.

Ten Hag was reportedly owed €20.4m following his sacking in October 2024, while Amorim stands to earn a comparatively modest €11.6m. However, the overall cost of the Portuguese in terms of wages and signing fee from Sporting CP amounted to over €30m.

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