Manchester United are continuing to pay the price for their managerial turnover, with compensation paid to Sir Alex Ferguson’s four successors now totalling more than £40million.
In November 2021, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer became the latest Red Devils manager to lose their job before the end of their deal.
Solskjaer signed a new deal just last summer, stretching his commitment to the club until at least the end of the 2023/24 season.
That came after a campaign which saw United finish as Premier League runners-up, as well as reaching the Europa League final.
After the deal was announced, then executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: "Ole and his staff have worked tirelessly putting the foundations in place for long-term success on the pitch.
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"The results of that have become increasingly visible over the past two seasons and we are all looking forward to seeing this exciting team develop further in the years ahead.”
However, less than four months later, with his side languishing in seventh on just 17 points from 12 games, Solskjaer was relieved of his duties.
It has subsequently been revealed that the total cost of sacking Solskjaer was almost £10million, with the Norwegian receiving a pay-off of around £7.5m.
In their latest accounts, which take in the period up to December 31 of last year, the club have included ‘exceptional items’ of £10m, of which, almost all went on compensation pay-outs.
A statement in the latest accounts said: "Exceptional items for the quarter were a cost of £10 million.
“This cost includes compensation to the former men’s first team manager and certain members of the coaching staff for loss of office plus additional contributions we expect to pay towards the Football League pension scheme deficit based upon the latest actuarial valuation."
The payment to Solskjaer continues a worrying trend which has seen United hire, and subsequently fire, four permanent managers in the eight-and-a-half years since Ferguson’s retirement.
David Moyes was the first to take on the role, but lasted less than a year of his six-year contract, sacked before the end of his first season in charge.
The Scot, along with his coaching staff were paid £5.2m in compensation, paving the way for the appointment of Louis van Gaal.
The Dutchman managed to see out two of the three years he was scheduled to stay at Old Trafford, but United had to fork out a whopping £8.4m to him and his coaches upon their departure.
Van Gaal subsequently revealed that he turned down the Belgian national team job in 2016, which would have seen him forgo a portion of his severance package.
"It would have been really great if I had become Belgium national coach, but I was so resentful and vindictive that I let that job go by," he said in 2018.
Jose Mourinho replaced Van Gaal in the United dugout, guiding the club to their most recent trophy, winning the Europa League in 2017.
But after being sacked in December 2018, less than 12 months into a two-and-a-half year deal he signed at the start of the year, the Special One earned a staggering £15m - with his coaching staff accruing another £4.6m between them.
That brings the total bill to £43.2m, with United now on the lookout for a long-term manager, following the interim appointment of Ralf Rangnick in the wake of Solskjaer’s dismissal.
