Manchester United could claw back a chunk of the £15.9 million compensation package owed to Ruben Amorim if the former Old Trafford boss lands the AC Milan job, sources have told ESPN. The Portuguese coach, 41, is firmly in the frame to take the San Siro hotseat — though no deal has been rubber-stamped yet.
Ruben Amorim AC Milan Appointment Could Reduce United’s Payout
United’s club accounts, published in February, confirmed a provision of £15.9 million set aside to cover what is owed to Amorim and his backroom team following his sacking in January. Crucially, that figure represents the ceiling — sources indicate the actual cost to United falls if Amorim walks into another role. The club themselves have refused to be drawn on specifics, branding any potential saving “speculative” until Milan make it official. Fair enough, but the writing is on the wall.
Amorim’s stint at United lasted 14 bruising months. It ended with the low point of a Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in May 2025 — a result that sealed his fate. Since then, Michael Carrick has steadied the ship, stepping in as caretaker before earning the permanent role on the back of a third-place Premier League finish and a Champions League berth. Not bad for a man handed a poisoned chalice.
A Wroclaw Reunion Already Looming on the Horizon
Here is where it gets spicy. Should Amorim take charge at Milan, he will face his former club sooner than you might expect. United and Milan are scheduled to meet in a pre-season fixture in Wroclaw, Poland, on 15 August — a clash that would carry far more narrative weight than your average summer friendly. Awkward handshakes in the tunnel, anyone?
For United, the financial upside of Amorim landing elsewhere is obvious. Every euro Milan pay him is a euro less heading out of Old Trafford. Whether that saving materialises depends entirely on how quickly the Italian giants move. Either way, Carrick’s United are already looking ahead — and after hauling the club back into Europe’s elite competition, the future at Old Trafford finally feels pointed in the right direction.
