Revealed: How much Manchester United have spent sacking managers | OneFootball

Manchester United’s Costly Cycle of Managerial Sackings

When Mathias Jensen’s stoppage-time strike sealed Brentford’s win over Manchester United last weekend, chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” filled the air. They were aimed at Ruben Amorim, a manager less than a year into his reign but already under heavy scrutiny. While Amorim survived the following days, the conversations about his position highlight a familiar problem for United: the financial burden of sacking managers.

Credit: The Athletic

Cost of instability in the dugout

Amorim arrived at Old Trafford in November 2024, with United paying around £11 million to bring him and his staff from Sporting CP. At the time, his reputation as one of Europe’s brightest young coaches offered hope of long-term stability. Yet results have been bleak. United have lost more than half of their 33 Premier League matches under him.

United’s recent history shows how expensive it can be to cut ties. Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 ended an era of continuity. Since then, six permanent managers have passed through the dugout, each exit carrying significant costs. Ferguson’s departure itself triggered £2.4 million in staff changes. David Moyes, sacked less than a year into a six-year deal, cost £4.9 million in compensation.

“Removing him and his own backroom team set United back £4.9m. That was the cheapest of their recent sackings.”

Louis van Gaal’s exit demanded £8.4 million, Jose Mourinho’s dismissal set a record £19.6 million payout, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer received £9.1 million. Erik ten Hag cost £10.4 million, a particularly stinging figure given he had just signed a one-year extension before being dismissed.

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The Rangnick complication

One of the murkier episodes came with Ralf Rangnick. Appointed as interim in 2021, he was due to transition into a consultancy role after that season. When he left in May 2022, United reported £14.7 million in related compensation costs. However, “per information briefed by the club at the time, that £14.7million was not exclusively paid to Rangnick and his team.” The exact amount remains unclear, leaving his departure shrouded in ambiguity.

Even if the entire Rangnick figure is excluded, United have spent £54.9 million on sacking managers since 2013. If it is included, the tally climbs further. To put it into perspective, that figure is less than one percent of their revenues over the same period, but the costs have become increasingly significant given recent financial pressures.

Financial impact beyond the touchline

The departure of Ten Hag and sporting director Dan Ashworth in 2024-25 highlighted the strain. Together, their exits consumed two-fifths of all staffing-related costs last season. This, against a backdrop of staff reductions and wage bill cuts, illustrated the damaging ripple effects of repeated mistakes.

United cut £51.5 million from their wage bill in 2024-25 through a 14 percent reduction in staff numbers. Yet 28 percent of those savings were wiped out by managerial sackings. It shows how quickly errors in the football department can offset hard-won financial gains elsewhere.

Future dismissals may add to the tally. Amorim’s contract runs until 2027 and terminating early would not come cheap. The club would have to record an additional £4.2 million amortisation charge in 2025-26 if he were to leave before next summer. More worryingly, failure on the pitch has already seen revenues fall. United’s 15th-place finish last season brought in £136.2 million in Premier League prize money, their lowest domestic earnings since 2016. No European football further compounds their financial woes.

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United’s ongoing dilemma

There remains hope that Amorim can turn the tide. His tactical philosophy has been given time, yet results have not matched the faith shown in him. “A playing system currently receiving devotion without much sign of deserving it may soon bear fruit,” noted the report. If not, Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces a choice between keeping faith with a struggling manager or incurring yet another expensive payout.

United’s history since Ferguson shows that while sackings may not cripple the finances outright, they symbolise a deeper instability. The repeated churn of managers has cost United dearly, both in money and momentum. Stability, once their greatest strength, has become their greatest weakness.

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As a Manchester United supporter, reading about these figures is as painful as watching the team struggle on the pitch. More than £55 million gone on sacking managers is staggering, not because the club cannot afford it, but because it reflects a complete absence of long-term planning.

Fans have endured promises of rebuilding under Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjaer, Ten Hag and now Amorim. Each time, the cycle repeats, with optimism followed by decline, and ultimately, an expensive payout. It feels like throwing good money after bad. The sums might be small compared to United’s overall revenues, but when you add in wasted transfer budgets, failed recruitment strategies and staff upheaval, it is no wonder the club has fallen behind rivals.

Many fans still believe Amorim deserves more time, given the mess he inherited, but patience is wearing thin. The concern is that sacking him adds to the tally without addressing the underlying issues of ownership, structure and accountability. Until the club finds a coherent footballing identity and sticks to it, money will continue to be wasted on short-term fixes. For supporters, it is not just about cost, it is about seeing United become a serious football club again.