Manchester United faces £16.7 million bill after Amorim dismissal

Manchester United's termination of head coach Ruben Amorim's contract, which had 18 months remaining, resulted in a £16.7 million ($22.5 million) payout, as disclosed in the club's financial statement released on Wednesday.

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The Portuguese coach's dismissal in January was followed by the appointment of Michael Carrick, who oversaw a significant improvement in the team's performance, culminating in a third-place finish in the Premier League and securing Champions League qualification for the next season.

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The cost of Amorim's departure is the latest in a series of expensive managerial exits from Old Trafford, including the £14.5 million payout for the dismissal of Erik ten Hag and his staff, as reported in February 2025.

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However, the appointment of Carrick as the new permanent manager on a two-year contract appears to have yielded positive results, especially considering Amorim's tenure, which saw the team finish 15th in 2025, their worst performance since relegation from the top-flight in 1974.

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Broadcast revenue for the quarter ending March 31 increased by 57.1 percent to £64.9 million, driven by forecasts of prize money from the team's third-place finish, which is covered by television revenues.

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Despite the absence of European football revenue this season, the club's total revenue for the first nine months of the financial year rose to £520 million, up from £502 million in the same period last year, when Amorim was leading the team to the Europa League final.

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Manchester United reported an operating profit of £37.7 million for the nine months ending March 31, 2026, a significant improvement from the £3.2 million operating loss in the same period the previous year.

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The club's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for the nine months reached £187.5 million, a substantial increase from £145.3 million in the previous year.

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The club attributes the improved financial performance to a cost-cutting plan implemented since co-owner Jim Ratcliffe joined, which included redundancies among club staff.

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However, the club still grapples with a substantial debt, largely accumulated under the ownership of the Glazer family, with short-term borrowing alone now standing at £262.5 million, approximately £50 million more than the same quarter last year.