Man Utd's huge £27m losses as financial results show cost of firing Erik ten Hag

Manchester United's latest financial figures have revealed it cost them £10.4m to sack Erik ten Hag and his staff.

While the disastrous appointment of Dan Ashworth as sporting director also cost United more than £4m in compensation. Which means United have been forced to shell out almost £15m to get rid of people who proved to be failed appointments.

Ten Hag was dismissed in October following a string of woeful results. While Ashworth lasted less than six months at Old Trafford, before co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe decided to relieve him of his duties.

The figures come at a time when Ratcliffe and INEOS are planning to make more redundancies at the club. Around 250 members of staff were laid off last year, while a meeting with employees is set to take place on Monday, when plans for further cuts could be outlined in more detail.

It is expected that 150 employees will leave in the latest cull. The pay-offs for Ten Hag and Ashworth will be seen as expensive mistakes for INEOS.

Ten Hag escaped the sack in the summer, but after surviving an end-of-season review where his job was at risk, his contract was extended and he was handed a £200m war chest in that window.

The figures also reveal United's total revenue was down 12 per cent due to the team's absence from the Champions League, with overall losses for the period coming to £27.7m.

But United CEO Omar Berrada chose to focus on the positives and he said: "We recognise the challenges in improving our men's team's league position and we are all working hard, collectively, to achieve that.

"At the same time, we are pleased to have progressed to the knock-out phase of the UEFA Europa League and the 5th Round of the FA Cup.

"Our redevelopment of the Carrington Training Complex remains on track. We continue to work towards a decision on the future of Old Trafford as part of a wider regeneration programme, which has now attracted UK Government support.

"This follows the work of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force in demonstrating the significant economic potential of a revitalised area around a future stadium project.”