The gamble of appointing Michael Carrick has so far paid off, the finances behind the English giants show.
Since his appointment as interim head coach on January 13, Michael Carrick appears to have temporarily awoken the sleeping giants, winning five of his first six matches and boosting an unbeaten record.
Taking over from Ruben Amorim with the club in seventh place, Carrick has guided United to fourth in the Premier League.
It’s not only pride that is at stake for the Red Devils, who have cycled through “unsuccessful ” but elite coaches with conflicting philosophies, but also a huge financial gain that far outweighs the costs of the sudden switch-up at the helm.
Manchester United’s financial filing has now disclosed that dismissing Ruben Amorim could cost the club up to £15.9million in settlement payments to the Portuguese manager and his coaching staff.
The figures emerged in a submission to the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, revealing the club has also written off £6.3million in amortised fees relating to Amorim’s recruitment from Sporting.
According to the filing, the maximum compensation figure depends on certain conditions, with sources indicating this relates to whether the 41-year-old secures alternative employment within a specified period.
The disclosure came just one day after United announced second-quarter profits of £32.6million.
When combined with the £10million fee United paid Sporting to secure Amorim’s services in November 2024, the total financial outlay for hiring and subsequently sacking the manager could approach £27million.
The club’s accounts confirmed they had paid Sporting £6.3million in compensation owed for recruiting the Portuguese coach.
The gamble of appointing Michael Carrick has so far paid off
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Whilst it’s easy for fans to look at these figures and feel like the club has yet again got it wrong with a wasteful sacking, the gamble has seemed to pay off.
Finishing in the top 4 of the Premier League this season is estimated to be worth at least £112 million to Manchester United in direct prize and participation revenue for the following year.
This figure includes immediate league merit payments and guaranteed Champions League (UCL) income, while also preventing a significant £10million penalty from their kit manufacturer, Adidas.
Finishing fourth alone is projected to earn the club approximately £45million to £47.9million.
Qualifying for next season’s Champions League provides a minimum starting fee of £16.2million
When including TV rights and additional bonuses associated with the competition, even a poor performance is expected to generate at least £50million to £67million.
Manchester United have cycled through ‘unsuccessful’ but elite coaches with conflicting philosophies since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013
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In 2025, Manchester United signed a £90million-a-year deal, with the clause of a £10million deduction for every year they fail to qualify for the Champions League
The club’s leadership, including CEO Omar Berrada, has indicated that returning to the Champions League is vital for reaching their goal of £800million in annual revenue by 2028.
The high expenditure, which forms part of a broader pattern of costly departures at Old Trafford, can be easily offset when looking at these figures.
The next appointment at the helm will need to be the correct one as United have now spent close to £30million on dismissing two managers and one executive within a 15-month period.
They previously paid out £14.5million following Erik ten Hag’s sacking and the exit of sporting director Dan Ashworth.
Amorim’s 14-month tenure concluded on January 5 following an explosive press conference after a 1-1 draw at Leeds, during which he openly criticised the club’s leadership.
Ruben Amorim was sacked by United on Monday and received a huge pay-off | REUTERS
The Portuguese had clashed with the director of football, Jason Wilcox, in a meeting three days before the Elland Road fixture.
He was subsequently summoned to United’s Carrington training ground, where Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada informed him of his dismissal.
His five assistant coaches departed alongside him, piling on the costs for the Red Devils.
The decision was taken amid growing concerns that the team might fail to secure Champions League qualification, with United sitting seventh in the table at the time.
Now with Carrick at the helm, they are propelled to fourth position in the table, with United accumulating 18 points in 2026, more than any other top-flight side this calendar year.
The Red Devils now sit three points ahead of Liverpool in sixth, substantially improving their prospects of securing a place in next season’s Champions League, with the top five likely to be guaranteed qualification.
It was a big financial risk, but the results have been fortunate so far for those running Old Trafford.
