By Martin Graham
Manchester United have revealed that Ruben Amorim’s departure could cost the club close to £16m. The Portuguese coach was sacked on January 5, a day after criticizing the club’s management following the 1-1 draw with Leeds.
The potential expense was described in documents filed with the New York Stock Exchange. The disclosure came shortly after United announced a profit of £32.6m for the second quarter ending 31 December 2025.
Within the filing, the club stated that an amortized sum of £6.3m, linked to bringing Amorim to Old Trafford from Sporting in November 2024, had been written off. An additional provision of £15.9m was recorded, representing the maximum sum the club could have to pay the former head coach and his staff.
Although the filing does not specify the conditions necessary to trigger the full payment, sources familiar with the matter have indicated that it relates to possible future employment. Amorim has not spoken publicly about his move to United, and those close to him suggest he is unlikely to change in the near future.
Expensive administrative remodeling
The appointment of Amorim had already required a significant financial commitment. In an earlier filing dated 27 November 2024, United confirmed they paid Sporting £11m to secure his services after sacking Erik ten Hag, whose exit cost £10.4m.
In total, the management changes related to Amorim total £37.3m. His 14-month tenure was the shortest for a permanent United manager since David Moyes, who left after eight months in 2014.
During his time in charge, Amorim recorded 25 wins in 63 games. The team finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league position since relegation in the 1973–74 campaign. They were also beaten in the Europa League final, failing to make it into any European competition this season for only the second time since 1990.
That campaign brought further disappointment when United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the second round by League Two side Grimsby on penalties. At the time of his sacking, the club were sixth in the league table following a row with director of football Jason Wilcox shortly before the Leeds game.
Recovery on the ground and financial adjustments
Following Amorim’s departure, under-18 coach and former midfielder Darren Fletcher took over on a temporary basis for two games. Michael Carrick was named until the end of the season and earned his fifth win in six games with victory over Everton on Monday.
The upturn in form has lifted United to fourth place, bolstering their Champions League qualification prospects.
The financial statement also noted that the club extended its available line of credit from £50m to £400m. At the same time, £75m was repaid, leaving an outstanding balance of £215m.
The filing also revealed that £600,000 worth of sponsorship services had been supplied to Ineos Automotive Ltd, a subsidiary of the Ineos Group owned by minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
