Sacking Mourinho a pricey exercise

London – Manchester United revealed yesterday that sacking Jose Mourinho cost the club nearly £20 million, with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward hailing the impact of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The sum of £19.6 million, which is listed under “exceptional items” in the club’s second-quarter results, includes pay-outs for the members of Mourinho’s staff who left with him after he was sacked in December.

The fortunes of the Premier League club have been transformed since Solskjaer took the helm as interim boss.

United are now in the top four after being 11 points adrift of the Champions League places when Mourinho left.

“The appointment of Ole and Mike (Phelan) as caretaker manager and assistant manager has had a positive impact throughout the club,” said Woodward.

“We are delighted with the improvement in the team’s performances since December,” he said. –