Man Utd reveal true cost of Erik ten Hag sacking and Ruben Amorim hiring | OneFootball

Manchester United have released their financial results for the final quarter of 2024, detailing the amount of money spent on sacking former manager Erik ten Hag and ex-sporting director Dan Ashworth, as well as the hiring of Ruben Amorim and his staff.

The Red Devils decided to part ways with Ten Hag in late October, less than four months after he signed a contract extension, with a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United proving to be the final straw for the beleaguered Dutchman.

Amorim has fared no better in the United dugout, cutting a frustrated figure on the sidelines as the club continue to lose game after game in the Premier League. The last time the club had lost 12 matches at this stage of a top-flight season came during 1973/74, when they ended up being relegated.

Ten Hag's dismissal was doubly disappointing for supporters wanting United to end their frivolous spending, and it's now been confirmed in the latest financial results of the 13-time Premier League winners just how much cash was handed to the 55-year-old and his coaching staff upon their exits.

£14.5m has been attributed to 'exceptional items', which specifically references the departure of Ten Hag and 'various members of football staff' - a list of employees that includes Ashworth.

Various outlets, including BBC Sport, break the expenses down to £10.4m being spent on removing Ten Hag and his team, and £4.1m being paid to Ashworth – United paid Newcastle £3m in compensation in order to appoint the former FA director of elite development – in order to bring his tenure at the club to an end.

Dan Ashworth (right) didn't last long at Old Trafford / Eddie Keogh/GettyImages

A further £10.6m was spent on appointing Amorim and his coaching staff, bringing the cumulative total for switching managers to £21m.

United's commercial revenue decreased by 12% for the final three months of 2024, down from £225.8m to £198.7m in the same period last year, which is largely to do with the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League. Broadcast revenue dropped by 42%, from £106.4m to £61.6m, detailing just how vital it is to qualify for European football's primary club competition.

The club as a whole made an operating profit of £3.1m, down from £27.5m 12 months previously, with debt increasing by £9.1m to £515.7m overall because of "unfavourable" exchange rate changes.