According to financial documents made public in the United States, Manchester United is expected to compensate former manager Ruben Amorim and his backroom staff with up to £15.9 million after he was fired earlier this year.
After barely 14 months as Old Trafford’s manager, 41-year-old Ruben Amorim was dismissed of his responsibilities on January 5. A stint that had promised much but failed to produce consistency in the Premier League came to an abrupt end when the Portuguese coach left with five members of his coaching staff.
Following his departure, Amorim negotiated an initial £10 million settlement with United’s chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.
However, the full financial impact of the ruling was disclosed in a subsequent filing with the New York Stock Exchange. Depending on the conditions of his contract and whether he finds another managerial position within a given time frame, Amorim and his employees could receive a total compensation package of £15.9 million.
The total financial expenditure associated with Amorim’s brief tenure at Old Trafford might reach £27 million when the price of hiring him and ending his contract is taken into account.
Separately, Benni McCarthy, the former United first-team coach, has discussed why the squad chose to sign Rasmus Hojlund over Nigerian attacker Victor Osimhen.
McCarthy, a former Old Trafford employee of former manager Erik ten Hag, claimed that although United had genuine interest in Osimhen, they eventually withdrew their offer because of worries about the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
McCarthy stated to Newsday on the BBC World Service, “You don’t want to lose a player for AFCON if you spend £100 million on him.”
“I believe he would have achieved great success there. However, AFCON was a major roadblock.
“The team suffers from not having the primary striker there after losing him for so many crucial games.
Thus, the choice was made. Literally, Victor Osimhen’s name was wiped off due to the AFCON, and as a result, he was not a player of interest.
Instead, United made a move for Hojlund, paying £72 million to capture the Danish international from Atalanta in August 2023. Before going on loan to Napoli in September of last year, he scored 26 goals in 95 games.
