Manchester United face mammoth compensation fee if they sack Erik ten Hag – Man United News And Transfer News

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New Manchester United part owners, INEOS, may be forced to keep Erik ten Hag at the club as the cost of sacking the much-maligned manager and his backroom staff has come to light.

This time last year, in spite of a 7-0 humbling at Anfield, it would have been unthinkable to suggest that United would be looking to part ways with their Dutch coach.

The former Ajax manager had just won the Carabao Cup, was comfortably in the top four and the team had knocked Barcelona out of Europe.

Fast forward a year and the picture is decidedly different.

The Red Devils are languishing in sixth place, were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in November and most embarrassingly of all, finished last in a Champions League group containing both Galatasaray and Copenhagen, finishing with a meagre four points and 15 goals conceded.

Despite somewhat of an upturn in results in 2024, the Red Devils have lost two out of their last three league games and it is a very real possibility that the club will be out of the Champions League again.

This has traditionally meant that United managers get the sack, however, it may not be so easy this time around. The 54-year-old has 18 months left on his current deal meaning he would need to receive compensation were he to be fired.

Subsequently, The Metro reports that “Manchester United face falling deeper into a Financial Fair Play hole if they decide to sack Erik ten Hag this summer”.

“United were prevented from signing a striker in January due to Financial Fair Play concerns, despite Anthony Martial being ruled out for up to three months”.

“However, should they decide to sack Ten Hag, they will have to pay the Dutchman and his backroom staff a compensation fee of £10m”.

“Should he be sacked before June 30th, that fee would come in under the 2023/24 accounts, which would push United even closer to the Profit and Sustainability Rules limit”.

While United then have the option to wait until July to sack the manager, it is hardly sensible when you consider that pre-season training will likely be about to start for at least the players not involved in Copa America or Euro 2024.

Therefore, if the Red Devils do decide that getting rid of Ten Hag is the best way forward, they will most likely have to raise the funds via the sales of players such as Casemiro, Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood to name a few.

However, many fans and undoubtedly INE0S would rather spend any freed-up money on new recruits than paying off yet another coaching team and manager.

It is one of the many conundrums that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will need to solve if he is to get United back to the top which he asserts is his ambition at Old Trafford.