Manchester, May 25: Manchester United compensated Dutch coach Louis van Gaal 4.55 million pounds ($6.64 million) after firing him a year before his contract expired.

However, reports said, Van Gaal would have left United without demanding the compensation if the club had managed to deal with his departure in a better way.

The executive vice president of the club, Ed Woodward, agreed on Tuesday to the amount of the settlement, signed prior to the announcement of the coach's departure.