Man Utd accept huge cost of Erik ten Hag sack as boss ‘on safe ground’
Ten Hag insists Man Utd have plenty to play for after European exit
Manchester United can reportedly expect to pay a minimum £15m to sack under-fire boss Erik ten Hag but the Dutchman’s job is safe despite Tuesday’s dismal Champions League exit, it has been claimed. United gained just four points from their European group and have been eliminated from continental football for the season altogether.
The Red Devils struggled to put up a fight against a Bayern team that had already waltzed into the knockouts. Copenhagen qualified for the last-16 while Turkish outfit Galatasaray dropped into the Europa League after finishing third in Group A.
Defeat by Bayern was United’s 12th of the season already and came after one of the most embarrassing home losses of the last decade against Bournemouth on Saturday. Ten Hag faces extreme pressure to turn around his side’s form but is reportedly ‘on safe ground’ due to the chaotic nature of the club’s hierarchy.
Sacking the former Ajax boss could cost United around £15m, without even factoring in the expense of dismissing his staff and hiring replacements. Ten Hag is reported to be earning around £15m per year and has a contract until 2025.
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According to club accounts, United spent around £19.5m sacking Jose Mourinho and the Portuguese coach’s backroom team in December 2018. A similar figure could be spent on dismissing the current coaching structure should that decision be taken.
United’s 2022-23 financial results show that their cash reserves had fallen to £76m. There is just £15m remaining on their revolving credit facility. With a transfer window in which new signings need to be prioritised, it remains unclear if the Premier League outfit can afford to sack their manager.
For his part, Ten Hag’s job is reported to be safe and there is a clear eagerness to allow him to turn around a terrible start to the season. According to The Athletic, the 53-year-old is ‘on safe ground’ and his dismissal is not expected after Tuesday’s 1-0 loss against Bayern.
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That is partially down to the lack of structure within the Old Trafford hierarchy. It seems unlikely that interim CEO Patrick Stewart, United’s chief legal officer, would sack Ten Hag a month into his temporary job after replacing the outgoing Richard Arnold.
Meanwhile, the club’s current football department headed up by sporting John Murtough is expected to be replaced once Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid for 25 per-cent of United is signed off by the Glazer family. Ten Hag’s job will likely come under stronger scrutiny once Ratcliffe and his INEOS team are in place, but, as it stands, he will be in charge of United’s Christmas fixtures.
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