Manchester United’s next manager could be forced to operate with a reduced transfer budget if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, sources have told Football Insider.
It was confirmed on Monday (5 January) Man United have sacked Ruben Amorim following disagreements behind the scenes at Old Trafford.
Darren Fletcher has taken the job on an interim basis while club chiefs consider their next steps.
Man United drew 2-2 against struggling Burnley on Wednesday (7 January), leaving them sitting seventh in the Premier League table.
Sources say the Manchester giants may not be able to offer the next manager a similar budget to recent years if they miss out on Champions League football again this season.
How much did Man United spend under Ruben Amorim?
Amorim was backed with more than £200million worth of signings in the summer transfer window.
Benjamin Sesko was Man United’s most expensive signing, having joined from RB Leipzig for around £74m.
Meanwhile, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Senne Lammens and Diego Leon also made the move to Old Trafford.
However, it is understood another year without Champions League qualification would make it difficult for the 20-time English champions to spend another £200m this summer, even if they keep their power dry in January.
Champions League football is worth around £100m to Man United, but they have no European football whatsoever this season following their 15th-place finish in 2024-25.
Meanwhile, the debt situation also raises questions around their ability to spend while on-field results continue to stagnate.
The latest figures revealed the club’s debt has now reached £1.29billion.
Who is the leading candidate to replace Amorim at Man United?
While the Man United job remains an attractive proposition, managerial targets will be asking questions about the financial picture and their budget.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has emerged as the leading candidate to take over as caretaker manager until the end of the season, with a permanent boss to be appointed in the summer.
The former Old Trafford favourite was sacked by Man United in 2021 after spending three years in charge of the club.
Solskjaer was backed with more than £400m worth of signings during his first stint as manager.
Oliver Glasner is among the favourites to land the Man United job on a permanent basis following his work at Crystal Palace over the past two years.
The position will be far more appealing to any potential candidates if the club can secure a return to the Champions League this season.
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The post Exclusive: Man United's next manager could face immediate transfer blow appeared first on Football Insider.
