MANCHESTER UNITED will go all-out to win the Europa League as the key to unlocking TWO huge cash pots.
United will take a £50m revenue loss this season from their failure to qualify for the Champions League.
The Red Devils are currently top Group L with 10 points from four gamesCredit: Getty – Contributor
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward admitted in the latest conference call with club investors that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have suffered a “mixed start” to a Prem campaign that leaves them 18 points adrift of leaders Liverpool and nine behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
But winning Europe’s second trophy and repeating their 2017 success under Jose Mourinho would not only guarantee United a seat back at the top table next term.
It would also give them the chance to milk the cash cow of Fifa’s revamped 24-team Club World Cup when it takes place in China in 2021.
The prospect of taking part in Gianni Infantino’s pet project was contained in the notes to investors in the quarterly report, which revealed a £9.9m reduction in broadcast income in the three months to September compared to 2018 due to non-involvement in the Champions League.
United had hoped their triumph over Ajax under Mourinho would be enough to earn them their place in China, which could be worth £40m-plus.
But Uefa and Fifa are understood to be ready to confirm places will only be awarded to Champions League and Europa League winners between 2018 and 2021, with a maximum of two places for any one country.
Liverpool’s victory over Spurs in last season’s final means they are assured of one of the places unless different English sides win the next two Finals.
But a United win in the Europa League would allow them to push Chelsea out of the frame as the most recent winners of the competition would take priority and give them a significant cash boost.
Woodward insisted that United’s aim is “to win trophies, playing fast, fluid attacking football, with a team that fuses graduates from our Academy along with world-class acquisitions”.
He conceded “this will not be achieved overnight” but pointed to this summer’s recruitments of Harry Maguire, Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka as significant marking posts.
Woodward said: “We have made investments across the club which we believe have set us on the right path.
“Over the last few years, we have significantly invested in our recruitment infrastructure to augment our already strong and experienced recruitment team, all of whom who are all working to a clear philosophy.
“This is demonstrated by the signing of Harry Maguire, Dan James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who have all settled in well.
“We will continue with our strategy to promote the best of the players graduating from our Academy together with material investment in the coming summers to strengthen our young squad further and challenge for trophies.”
The figures show United’s quarterly revenue up 5.9 per cent to £80.4m on the back on new sponsorship deals with companies including Konami and Lego.
Two extra home games added just under £6m in match-day revenues in the period but there was a warning that broadcasting revenues will take a bigger hit as the realities of non-involvement in the Champions League filter into club accounts.
United’s net debt has also risen sharply, from £247.2m 12 months ago to £384.5m although the club still expects total revenues to be between £560m and £580m in the current financial year.
Woodward pointed to the emergence of academy prospects such as Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood.
He added: “We fielded the youngest team in the Premier League this season in the game with Brighton, with an average age of under 24.
“We have also made investments in our academy across recruitment, facilities, analytics and these investments are beginning to bear fruit.
“Last season we led the Premier League in first team match minutes played by graduates. “Across the Premier League our graduates played 58 per cent more minutes than any other club.
“Our academy graduates have scored or assisted 31 of the 32 goals we have scored this season and we are approaching the milestone of the 4,000th consecutive game featuring an academy player in the match-day squad
“This gives us a competitive advantage and we will continue to invest in what is the heart of the club.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
