Manchester United Face £16m Bill After Amorim Sacking

Manchester United have revealed that dismissing Ruben Amorim could cost the club almost £16 million, according to a financial filing released this week.

The Portuguese manager was sacked on 5 January, a day after publicly criticising the club’s hierarchy following a 1-1 draw at Leeds. The cost of his departure was disclosed in documents submitted to the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, just one day after United announced a £32.6 million profit in their second-quarter financial results up to 31 December 2025.

In the filing, the club described Amorim’s dismissal as an “event that occurred after the reporting period”. United confirmed that an amortised fee of £6.3 million — linked to the cost of bringing Amorim to Old Trafford from Sporting in November 2024 — had been written off. In addition, the club stated that a “provision of £15.9m” would be made, representing the highest possible amount they could be liable to pay Amorim and his coaching staff.

The document does not specify what would trigger the maximum payout. However, sources with knowledge of the situation have indicated it is connected to future employment. Amorim, 41, has yet to comment publicly on his time at United, and sources close to him suggest that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

The financial impact underlines what has been an expensive managerial reshuffle. In November 2024, United confirmed they paid Sporting £11 million to appoint Amorim as successor to Erik ten Hag, whose own departure cost £10.4 million. Altogether, changes surrounding Amorim amount to £37.3 million.

Amorim’s 14-month spell was the shortest reign of a permanent United manager since David Moyes’ eight-month tenure ended in 2014. He won 25 of his 63 matches in charge and guided the team to a 15th-place Premier League finish — their worst since relegation in 1973-74. United also lost the Europa League final and, for only the second time since 1990, failed to qualify for European competition. This season included a Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby on penalties.

At the time of his dismissal, United were sixth in the league and had reportedly experienced internal tensions, including a fallout with director of football Jason Wilcox.

Since then, Michael Carrick has taken over until the end of the season, winning five of his first six games, lifting United to fourth place and into strong contention for Champions League qualification.

The filing also revealed financial adjustments, including a £50 million increase in available credit to £400 million, with £215 million currently owed. Additionally, £600,000 worth of “sponsorship services” was provided to Ineos Automotive Ltd, linked to minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe.