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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Colin Millar

Man Utd's eye-watering compensation payouts to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick

Manchester United paid out a whopping £24.7million in compensation to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick and their respective coaching staff who left the club last season.

The figures were revealed as the club confirmed a net loss of £115.5m last season in their quarterly financial figures. United's net debt now stands at £514.9m, compared to £419.5m for the same period the previous year - an increase of £95.4m.

Man United had the highest wage bill in the Premier League last season and while the compensation packages paid out to managers and their staff are relatively small in the club's overall outgoings, it is reflective of their below-par strategy and planning in comparison to their rivals.

In March, United revealed that they paid out £10m on 'exceptional items' in the second quarter of the financial year – a figure that included the compensation to Solskjaer and other members of his coaching staff that left the club.

The Norwegian was reported to have received in the region of £7.5m as a payoff, having penned a contract renewal at Old Trafford just months earlier. Michael Carrick stepped up from coach to take over as caretaker after Solskjaer's exit, but the former midfielder left the club following the appointment of Rangnick.

Carrick's departure followed that of first-team coach Kieran McKenna, now manager at Ipswich, and strength and conditioning specialist Martyn Pert. United did not name the other coaches entitled to compensation due to confidentiality.

Have Your Say! Can Ten Hag restore Man Utd’s success domestically and in Europe ? Tell us what you think here.

Solskjaer was sacked as Man Utd boss in November 2021 (PA)

Rangnick was subsequently appointed as the interim boss at United but left at the end of the season as his two-year consultancy role was ripped up, with the coach being appointed as the new manager of the Austrian national team. He departed the club alongside his coaching appointments, including assistant Chris Armas.

It continued a trend of United having to pay out the contracts of former managers; David Moyes was sacked just nine months into his six-year contract, while Jose Mourinho's contract extension in 2018 preceded his sacking that year.

Louis van Gaal's appointment in 2014 saw him want only a two-year deal, but United insisted on three seasons before the club sacked him at the end of his second campaign.

Rangnick endured a difficult six months in the Old Trafford hotseat (AFP via Getty Images)

The appointment of Erik ten Hag as permanent boss saw the Dutchman bring in his assistant Mitchell van der Gaag from Ajax alongside Steve McClaren, his confidant and the former United number two to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Joining the ranks this summer were former Porto striker Benni McCarthy as a specialist coach for attackers while match analyst Kevin Keij joined from Ajax and video analyst Anthony Bates arrived from Blackburn.

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