Huge Manchester United sack cost revealed amid Michael Carrick cost-per-game calculation
Manchester United have confirmed it cost the club in the region of £8.2 million to sack Ruben Amorim and his backroom staff earlier this year.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, the “exceptional items” in the club’s latest financial results primarily reflect the severance packages for the Portuguese coach and his assistants.
Amorim was dismissed in January after a 14-month spell in charge, during which he struggled to get a tune out of his star-studded squad.
Ruben Amorim sacking cost Manchester United £8.2 million
Initially, the club faced a possible £16.7 million compensation bill, however, Amorim’s subsequent appointment at AC Milan this summer is believed to have activated a reduction clause in his contract, halving the final compensation payout to £8.2 million.
Following Amorim’s exit, Michael Carrick stepped up as interim boss, sparking a late-season revival that successfully guided the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. Rewarded for his dugout – and most likely balance sheet – heroics, Carrick was officially handed the permanent managerial role over the summer. But, the honeymoon period appears to be over.
Assuming Carrick is currently on a contract similar in value to his predecessor’s, the club is effectively investing £1.17m per match under their new permanent head coach.
Since the 2026/27 campaign kicked off last month, Carrick has taken charge of seven competitive matches, winning just two, including none of the last three.
The campaign began with a shock 2-0 defeat away to newly promoted Hull City. While Man United bounced back with a resounding 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town at Old Trafford, they were quickly frustrated by a 2-2 draw against Everton in early September.
A 4-0 Champions League triumph over Azeri champions Sabah FK was nothing more than the expected outcome, but the momentum was short-lived by a painful, and perhaps unjust, 1-0 derby defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Things went from bad to worse just days later when Carrick’s side collapsed in the Carabao Cup, squandering a lead to lose 3-2 against Brighton & Hove Albion. Most recently, the squad could only salvage a late 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
With just one win in their first five Premier League outings and an early exit from domestic cup competition, the pressure is mounting on Carrick.
Manchester United executives will be praying their investment in and commitment to his leadership begins to yield better results, or else they may find themselves facing yet another expensive managerial restructuring.
