Manchester United are likely to have to pay millions in compensation to outgoing coaches after giving Ole Gunnar Soslkjaer’s staff new three-year deals just weeks ago.
The Norwegian coach was dismissed on Sunday after a disappointing 4-1 defeat at Watford, just under four months after Solskjaer signed a new contract with the club running until 2024.
United have had to pay the outgoing manager £7.5m for giving him the boot with such a long period left on his contract and it looks like they will be hit with another huge bill.
The Daily Mail claim that assistant boss Mike Phelan signed a new deal in October and coaches Michael Carrick, Kieran McKenna and Richard Hartis all followed shortly after.
All four men were reportedly handed three-year deals which were agreed in the summer but took time for the details to be agreed upon.
Carrick is now in charge of the first team for now while Phelan, McKenna and Hartis all remain at the club, but it is possible that all four could leave when a new manager takes over.
Sportsmail claims that the compensation would run into millions of pounds to pay off all four coaches who are all under contract until the year 2024.
United are considering appointing an interim coach until the end of the campaign, which would likely see the coaching staff stay till the summer, although even if they were let go it would be a costly affair for the club.
Carrick will lead the club for the first time on Tuesday at Villarreal in the Champions League and he is looking forward to facing a big test having never managed before.
‘Obviously it’s a challenge,’ he said at a press conference on Monday. ‘First there was the initial reaction and coming to terms with the situation.
‘But quite quickly you’ve got to focus – there’s a responsibility here, it’s such a great club, it’s such a privilege to be working at this club in whatever capacity, never mind the position I’m in now. So I don’t take that lightly in any way, shape or form.
‘It’s just throwing myself into doing everything I can. Of course it’s a limited time, I’m well aware of that, but it’s a challenge that I’m relishing at the moment. It’s a huge responsibility – I’m really looking forward to it.’
