Manchester United's decision to sack Michael Carrick has added another costly chapter to the club's turbulent managerial history since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Carrick initially arrived in January 2026 on an interim basis following Ruben Amorim's departure, before guiding United to a third-place Premier League finish and Champions League qualification.
His success earned him a permanent appointment in May, with the former midfielder signing a contract until 2028.
However, United's fortunes have deteriorated dramatically this season, with just three victories in 15 matches across all competitions leaving the club in the Premier League relegation zone.
Following a review by the club's hierarchy, Carrick was dismissed on November 12, less than six months after signing his new deal.
The financial implications are significant, with compensation for Carrick and members of his coaching staff expected to cost United at least £5m.
That figure adds to the millions already spent dismissing previous managers, with the club having paid substantial sums to end the contracts of several high-profile appointments, roughly up to £79 million.
Here, Football Whispers looks at how much Manchester United have spent compensating departing managers since Ferguson's retirement.
How much it cost Man Utd to sack a manager
Compensation paid out, ranked from most to least expensive £80.3mCombined cost £19.6mMost expensive £4.9mLeast expensive 1Jose Mourinho£19.6m 2Ralf Rangnick£14.7m 3Erik ten Hag£10.4m 4Ole Gunnar Solskjaer£9.1m 5Louis van Gaal£8.4m 6Ruben Amorim£8.2m 7Michael Carrick£5m 8David Moyes£4.9m Bars are scaled to the most expensive sacking (Mourinho, £19.6m).Contents
1. Michael Carrick – £5m2. Ruben Amorim – £8.2m3. Erik ten Hag – £10.4m4. Ralf Rangnick – £14.7m5. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – £9.1m6. Jose Mourinho – £19.6m7. Louis van Gaal – £8.4m8. David Moyes – £4.9m9. How much have Manchester United spent on sacking managers?Michael Carrick – £5m
Michael Carrick during Manchester United game – photo by IMAGO / SportimageCarrick's second spell in the Old Trafford dugout has ended much sooner than the club would have hoped, despite the promising work he produced during his initial interim appointment.
After winning 12 of his 17 Premier League matches following his arrival in January, Carrick secured a permanent position and signed a two-year contract in May.
However, his side managed only three wins in their first 15 matches of the 2026-27 campaign, with the club's decision-makers concluding that a change was necessary.
According to reports, Carrick's contract included a break clause that means he will be paid for the remainder of the season rather than the full two years.
His basic annual salary was reportedly around £5m, with performance-related bonuses potentially taking that figure higher.
The cost of his departure, alongside compensation for coaches Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate, is expected to be at least £5m.
The exact breakdown has not been officially confirmed, but the latest estimate represents another sizeable payment for a club that has repeatedly had to compensate departing coaching teams.
Ruben Amorim – £8.2m
Ruben Amorim, head coach of AC Milan – photo by IMAGO / BuzziAmorim's appointment in November 2024 was supposed to mark the beginning of a new era at Old Trafford, but the Portuguese coach lasted only 14 months before being dismissed in January 2026.
United had paid Sporting CP approximately £11m to secure his services, with the club also bringing five members of his coaching team from Portugal.
However, the former Sporting boss was unable to deliver the consistency required, winning 24 of his 63 matches in charge.
His departure reportedly cost United £8.2m in compensation for him and his staff, although earlier estimates suggested the overall payout could reach £12m because he had around 18 months remaining on his contract.
The cost of bringing Amorim to Manchester was therefore considerably higher when his original recruitment fee is included, illustrating how expensive the club's managerial changes have become.
Erik ten Hag – £10.4m
Coach Erik ten Hag gestures during the Premier League football match between Manchester United, ManU and Liverpool at Old Trafford on September 01, 2024 in Manchester, England. Photo by Richard Callis/SPP Richard CallisTen Hag's dismissal in October 2024 was another expensive decision, particularly because United had handed the Dutchman a contract extension only months earlier.
The former Ajax manager had led the Red Devils to the EFL Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024, but inconsistent league performances and a difficult start to the 2024-25 campaign ultimately cost him his position.
United's accounts revealed that ending Ten Hag's contract and those of his coaching staff cost £10.4m. The payment came just 116 days after the club had extended his deal, making the decision to retain him after the FA Cup triumph particularly costly.
United then spent a further £11m recruiting Amorim and his coaching team from Sporting, taking the combined cost of replacing Ten Hag with the Portuguese coach to £21.4m.
Ralf Rangnick – £14.7m
Austria boss Ralf Rangnick pictured. Photo by IMGAO / GEPA picturesRangnick took charge on an interim basis in November 2021 following Solskjaer's departure, with United initially planning for him to move into a consultancy position at the end of the 2021/22 season.
However, that arrangement never materialised, and the German left the club after a difficult spell in which United finished sixth in the Premier League and failed to win a trophy.
The club recorded £14.7m in compensation costs during the relevant period, covering Rangnick's departure, members of his staff and other football-related changes.
It is important to note that this figure should not be treated as a severance payment to Rangnick alone, as the reported amount covered wider obligations.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – £9.1m
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Credit: Newspix / Icon SportSolskjaer was dismissed in November 2021 after almost three years in charge, with United paying approximately £9.1m in compensation.
The Norwegian had initially impressed after replacing Jose Mourinho, winning 14 of his first 19 matches and eventually earning a permanent contract in March 2019.
He guided United to second place in the Premier League in 2020/21, but the team struggled to maintain that level in the following campaign.
A run of poor results, including a 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool and a 2-0 loss at home to Manchester City, left the club with little option but to make a change.
Solskjaer's departure brought another significant compensation bill, despite his status as a former player and his connection with the club.
Jose Mourinho – £19.6m
José Mourinho. Photo by Mário Vasa / Icon SportMourinho remains the most expensive managerial dismissal in United's post-Ferguson era, with the club reportedly paying approximately £19.6m to end his contract and compensate his coaching staff in December 2018.
The Portuguese manager had won the Europa League and EFL Cup during his first season and guided United to second place in the Premier League in 2017/18. However, tensions with the club's hierarchy, declining performances and a difficult start to the following campaign brought his reign to an end.
Mourinho's departure was particularly expensive because he had signed a contract extension in January 2018, leaving United with a substantial financial commitment when they decided to dismiss him.
Louis van Gaal – £8.4m
Van Gaal was dismissed in May 2016, despite winning the FA Cup in his final match in charge.
The Dutchman had spent two seasons at Old Trafford after replacing David Moyes, but his team's style of play and failure to secure Champions League qualification ultimately led to his exit.
United reportedly paid approximately £8.4m in compensation to end his contract, which still had a year to run.
His dismissal came just two days after the FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace, making the timing of the decision particularly striking.
The payment added to the club's growing list of compensation bills during the early years of the post-Ferguson era.
David Moyes – £4.9m
– Photo by IMAGO / SOPA ImagesMoyes was Ferguson's chosen successor in 2013, signing a six-year contract after leaving Everton, but his time at Old Trafford lasted just 10 months.
United's disappointing performances meant the Scot was dismissed in April 2014, with the club reportedly paying around £4.9m in compensation to end his agreement.
There was also a separate £2.4m cost associated with severance payments to members of Ferguson's former coaching staff who were not retained following the change in management.
That payment was not part of Moyes's personal compensation, but it illustrates how a managerial change can create additional financial obligations beyond the head coach's contract.
How much have Manchester United spent on sacking managers?
Carrick's estimated £5m departure payment takes the combined reported compensation for the managers and coaching teams discussed above to approximately £80m, although that total includes Rangnick-related costs that extended beyond his own departure.
The figure also excludes the money spent recruiting replacements, including the £11m paid to bring Amorim and his staff from Sporting, as well as the reported £7.4m release clause United must meet to secure Mauricio Pochettino from the United States national team.
Indeed, the Telegraph estimates that United's wider compensation bill for hiring and firing managers, coaching staff and senior football executives could exceed £108m since Ferguson's retirement if the Pochettino appointment goes through.
For a club that has repeatedly attempted to reduce operating costs, the amount spent changing managers is striking.
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