Manchester United have protected themselves against handing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a multi-million pay off if they were forced to sack him, club insiders say. The Old Trafford boss is certainly feeling the pressure of turning around a worrying sequence of results which currently sees the Manchester giants just two points above the relegation zone.
Sunday’s tame 1-0 surrender to struggling Newcastle United at St James’ Park was just another reminder to the likeable Norwegian of the size of the job he has on his hands to turn the team’s fortunes around.
It is now 11 games without an away win and just seven goals in the last 10 games from United’s misfiring forward line, compounding the bizarre decision not to buy a replacement for striker Romelu Lukaku, following his £75m summer move to Inter Milan.
And with just five wins from his last 23 matches, there are growing suggestions Solskjaer may even be out of his depth and could eventually be shown the door if results do not improve fast.
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United’s next fixture after the international break is hosting bitter rivals Liverpool at the Theatre of Dreams, which could yet prove a pivotal game, depending on the result against the runaway Premier League leaders.
United’s bosses, though, continue to insist they are backing their manager, who arrived as a caretaker last December but signed a permanent three-year contract in March after winning 14 of his first 19 games in charge.
Solskjaer was also the first United manager to win his first six league games, beating a record previously held by Sir Matt Busby.
It is understood, however, the 46-year-old agreed to a severance package which means he would only be entitled to a year’s salary – believed to be worth a basic £6m.
That is a financial deficit away from the type of hefty outlays United have been forced to hand over when showing previous managers the exit door.
David Moyes and Louis van Gaal reportedly departed £10m richer, while Jose Mourinho made off with a figure close to double that, something the club’s bosses have ensured will not be repeated again if they reluctantly do have to bring Solskjaer’s short reign to an end.
