How much every Premier League 'Big Six' club has spent on manager sacking compensation since the competition’s inception in 1992 has been ranked, and the results offer a startling perspective on just how much some clubs are willing to gamble on management. Of course, the managerial merry-go-round is never far from spinning - particularly this season.
Both Manchester United and Chelsea have already gone through two managers this campaign, and Liam Rosenior is on thin ice, with as many as 16 favourites lined up as potential replacements.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are on their third manager after sacking both Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor in hopes of curbing relegation fears, and the fact that even Liverpool’s Arne Slot isn’t entirely safe - despite winning a league title last term - shows just how quickly things can change in such a high-stakes environment.
What the neutral might not fully grasp, however, is the eye-watering cost that comes with sacking a manager before his contract has run its course. Indeed, as a result of some costly missteps, certain clubs have spent far more than others.
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Chelsea Have Spent Most on Manager Compensation
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After crunching the numbers, FootballBlog.co.uk unsurprisingly found out that Chelsea have spent significantly more than any other Big Six club on managerial sackings since the inception of the Premier League, with Stamford Bridge parting ways with £161.6 million just because they couldn't afford to wait around give time to their managers.
The Blues were the first Premier League club to sack a manager when they dismissed Ian Porterfield in February 1993, and they have fired a further 17 managers since then, including Jose Mourinho twice. Clearly, under Todd Boehly's devil-may-care regime, things are only bound to get worse, with the club having five different permanent managers over the last four years.
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During the Premier League era, there have been 18 managerial sackings by Big Six clubs that resulted in pay-offs of £10m or more. Eight of those were sackings made by Chelsea, and Antonio Conte's dismissal in 2018 remains the priciest at £26.6m, while the aforementioned Mourinho's in 2007 is second at £23.1 million.
How Other 'Big Six' Clubs Compare
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Second on the list, but with nearly £100 million less spent than Chelsea, are Tottenham. That comes as little surprise given their struggles with life after Mauricio Pochettino, and with the Lilywhites now staring at the possibility of relegation (especially if the supercomputer's latest predictions are anything to go by), desperate times have clearly called for desperate measures after they spent £18 million to relieve Thomas Frank of his duties early.
More surprising, however, is the fact that Manchester United sit next in third despite having the stability of Sir Alex Ferguson for 21 years. Since 2013, the Red Devils have cycled through 11 managers and, with an average payout of £10.34 million per sacking, they have forked out more than double what Tottenham usually pay. See the full findings below:
|How much the PL Big Six club has paid out in compensation from sacking managers since 1992|
|Club|Total Paid|Managers Sacked|Average Cost per Sacking|
|---|
|Manchester United|£62.03m|6|£10.34m|
|Chelsea|£161.6m|18|£8.98m|
|Liverpool|£50.8m|6|£8.47m|
|Arsenal|£29.3m|4|£7.33m|
|Tottenham Hotspur|£66.5m|14|£4.75m|
|Manchester City|£24.25m|9|£2.69m|
It paints a damning picture of how careless the decision-makers at Old Trafford have been with managerial contracts for coaches who were always facing an uphill battle in trying to replicate Ferguson’s unprecedented success.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have shelled out £50.8 million on sacking managers - more than double the amount Manchester City have paid - with Brendan Rodgers’ P45 alone costing the Reds £15.6 million. Needless to say, it proved worth every penny, as Jurgen Klopp’s arrival sparked a dramatic turnaround in fortunes compared to his predecessor.
Of all the Big Six clubs, Arsenal have sacked the fewest managers during the Premier League era. The Gunners have parted company with just four managers since 1992: George Graham, Bruce Rioch, Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery. Including the “mutual agreement” that led to Wenger’s departure in 2018, Arsenal have spent £29.3 million on managerial sackings since the Premier League began.