Sacking former manager Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff cost Manchester United almost £20million, according to the club’s accounts.
Mourinho was sacked in December following a tumultuous start to the season, and reports of fraught relationships with several key players, most notably Paul Pogba.
The Portuguese had also been frustrated by a perceived lack of backing in the transfer market, particularly over his desire to bring in a new centre back, and was replaced by United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
On the pitch, the decision has proved a profitable one, with Tuesday night’s 2-0 home defeat to PSG the club’s first in 12 games since the Norwegian took temporary charge.
However, the club’s accounts show the true cost of axing Mourinho and his backroom staff, listing a £19.6m operating expense under the label of ‘exceptional items’.
The report read: “Exceptional items for the quarter were £19.6million, relating to compensation to the former manager and certain members of the coaching staff for loss of office."
Standard Sport understands that expense to be split as £15m for Mourinho and £4.6m split across his coaching staff.
