LONDON – Manchester United’s appointment of Mauricio Pochettino is estimated to have pushed their spending on hiring and dismissing managers and other senior football staff beyond £100 million (S$170 million) since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, according to British media calculations.

United will pay about £7.4 million to release Pochettino from his contract with the United States national team, Sky Sports reported on Nov 13 , while British media estimated that dismissing Michael Carrick and his backroom staff would cost at least another £5 million. Securing the release of Pochettino’s assistants from their contracts could add to the bill.

Carrick was sacked on Nov 12, less than six months after signing a two-year contract in May, with Pochettino replacing him.

The £100 million figure is an estimate rather than a confirmed club total and includes sporting directors as well as managers. The Telegraph calculated that Pochettino’s appointment and Carrick’s departure would take United’s spending on hiring and dismissing senior football staff to more than £108 million.

Ruben Amorim was another costly appointment. United paid Sporting €11 million (S$15.6 million) to release him from his contract, Reuters reported at the time, before dismissing him in January 2026, just 14 months into his tenure.

The club later recorded an £8.2 million one-off cost related to his departure and restructuring.

United’s accounts showed that dismissing Erik ten Hag and his staff cost £10.4 million, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure cost £9.1 million, according to the Telegraph. The newspaper put the cost associated with Ralf Rangnick’s departure, his staff and other changes to the football operation at £14.7 million.

Jose Mourinho’s dismissal in 2018 cost £19.6 million, while Louis van Gaal’s departure in 2016 cost £8.4 million and David Moyes’ exit in 2014 cost £4.9 million, the Telegraph calculated.

United also paid Ajax £1.6 million to appoint Ten Hag and assistant Mitchell van der Gaag and about £1 million to Molde when Solskjaer became manager, according to the newspaper.

The club also incurred costs in hiring sporting director Dan Ashworth from Newcastle United and parting company with him five months later.

Pochettino’s arrival has added another substantial sum to the cost of 13 years of upheaval as United continue to search for the stability that defined Ferguson’s reign. REUTERS