The Professional Footballers’ Association have slammed Manchester United for putting profits before the welfare of their stars after announcing they will travel to Asia for a post-season tour immediately after the campaign comes to an end.
Earlier today, United confirmed that they will play friendly matches in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong in May.
The trip marks the club’s first post-season tour in the modern era and a return to Asia, following their victory over Liverpool in Bangkok back in July 2022.
The first match will see United come up against ASEAN All Stars in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Jalil National Stadium on May 28 before taking on Hong Kong, China in the Hong Kong Stadium two days later. The first game will take place just three days after the Red Devils’ final Premier League clash vs. Aston Villa at Old Trafford on May 25.
It’s estimated that the tour will net United €10 million – a significant boost for a club in dire financial shape, having posted losses of more than £300m over the last three years.
The concept of post-season matches remains controversial, largely due to concerns over the increased workload placed on players.
The PFA has been vocal in expressing these concerns and issued a statement following United’s announcement.
A PFA spokesperson told The Mirror, “We know there are commercial realities involved in what has become an increasingly global game, but there has to be a balance. It’s clear that the demands on players, caused by a 12-month football calendar, are becoming unsustainable. We all know the number of injuries and extended absences isn’t a coincidence.”
“It’s not just the number of games that’s the issue. It’s the long-haul travel, the limited recovery time, and the constant cycle of club and international duty. It all adds up physically and mentally and you can see the effect on performance. In the long term, that isn’t good for anybody.”
The PFA’s sustainability champion, David Wheeler, remarked about United’s plans, “It’s not only irresponsible from a climate point of view, but from a player care point of view, physically and mentally.”
“They are human beings. They get paid very well, as we know, but they have a limit to what their bodies can take and how they cope with it from a mental health point of view.”
“A lot of these guys will have friends and family that they won’t have spent much time with during the course of the season and the international players, especially, don’t even get a break during the season.”
“It’s interesting that they’ve admitted it’s purely for money reasons, because there aren’t any other reasons to do it. To me, it seems quite galling in the aftermath of the Jim Ratcliffe interview, where he talked about how the club doesn’t have any money and they had to cut lunches for the staff, money to the ex-players’ foundation and put up prices for the fans.”
Wheeler added, “Most players at that level are not going to be motivated by friendlies, let alone those that are taking them away from time they could be spending with their families and resting for the following season. There’s not much of a benefit apart from financial – yet there are plenty of other ways they could make money and be more efficient without dragging people who need a rest halfway across the world.”
“If United are challenging right at the top of the league and playing in the Champions League then that’s going to be much more lucrative than floundering where they are at the moment anyway.”
“My focus would be much more on the playing side of things than on a post-season tour of Asia. I know it’s not either or but it seems logical to me.”
United are back in action on Thursday when they go away to Lyon for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.
Featured image Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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