Manchester United would be liable to pay Ruben Amorim £12 million in compensation if they dismiss him before his first anniversary in charge on November 1, according to club sources. The Portuguese coach, appointed on a two-and-a-half-year deal worth £6.5 million per season, has overseen the club’s worst start to a league campaign in 33 years, winning just one of four Premier League matches and suffering a Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town.
Despite the poor results, United’s hierarchy continue to back Amorim publicly and are reluctant to sack him due to the financial burden. The club has already spent more than £54 million compensating previous managers David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag, and can ill afford another costly dismissal amid ongoing financial difficulties.
Insiders have expressed concerns over Amorim’s motivational ability, with some figures close to the first-team squad suggesting he ‘hides when the going gets tough’ during matches. His decision to avoid watching the penalty shootout at Grimsby and Bruno Fernandes’ decisive spot-kick against Burnley has raised eyebrows, and his overall demeanour on the touchline has been questioned.
However, the amount of time Amorim and his coaching staff dedicate to training has not been criticised. Players were given heart-rate monitors and rigorous schedules during a recent break, and the six-man leadership group – including Fernandes, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez – has urged teammates to take more responsibility for poor performances.
United face a challenging run of fixtures before Amorim’s anniversary, including Chelsea at home, Brentford away, and Liverpool away. If results do not improve, potential replacements such as Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner, Unai Emery and Andoni Iraola are being touted by bookmakers.
