Manchester United have struck a deal to bring in Ruben Amorim from Sporting Lisbon for a reduced fee of £8.3 million (€10m).
This has helped the English giants save £16.5 million off his standard release clause.
Amorim’s quick recruitment follows Erik ten Hag’s sack on Monday, with United sitting in a disappointing 14th place in the Premier League.
Ruud van Nistelrooy currently holds the interim position, but Amorim’s arrival appears sooner than later.
Three contract clauses enabled United to secure the 39-year-old manager at a fraction of the cost, reveals SunSport.
Firstly, Amorim’s release clause varies depending on the bidding club.
Portuguese clubs like Porto would have had to pay £25 million, while foreign clubs face a £17 million fee.
However, a “sharks” clause specifically allows elite European clubs—such as United, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, to activate his release for just £8.3 million.
This favourable clause means United will pay far less than what West Ham, another interested club, would have paid if their talks had been successful in the summer.
Despite the reduced fee, the overall cost of the managerial change is high, as United must pay £15 million to cover Ten Hag’s severance, bringing the total changeover expense to approximately £23.3 million.