Manchester United could reportedly see their potential £100 million windfall, should they beat Tottenham Hotspur in the upcoming Europa League final, disappear as soon as it arrives.
United are set to take on Tottenham at San Mames on Wednesday in an all-or-nothing final and the stakes could not be higher.
Both sides have endured extremely miserable Premier League seasons that currently have them languishing in 16th and 17th place, respectively. United have suffered 18 top-flight losses this term while Tottenham have tasted defeat on 21 occasions.
However, the two strugglers have a silver bullet in the form of the Europa League. Winning the final would not only secure the victors a European trophy, but also secure them a place in next term’s Champions League. The latter is thought to be worth at least £100m.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire recently spoke about this, explaining, “Financially, it’s the most important match in the club’s history. Champions League participation is crucial, because it could generate over £100m from tickets, broadcast money, and sponsor bonuses.”
However, the Daily Mail report that the Red Devils could kiss that £100m jackpot goodbye just as soon as they receive it.
According to the newspaper, this is because United are on track to lose the same amount this financial year, with the club expected to announce a third-quarter loss of £40m in the coming weeks.
The Mail add, “The forecast, based on a consensus of Wall Street analysts which is usually on the money, highlights the problems United face in trying to become a profitable business again while weighed down by interest payments on the Glazer debt.”
“Although the club is set to generate up to £160m this year from day-to-day activities, it means there will still be a sixth consecutive year of losses, totalling £450m.”
In September, United reported a net loss of £113.2m in the year to 30 June. This followed deficits of £28.7m in 2022/23 and £115.5m in 2021/22.
As it stands, United’s total losses over the past five years amount to over £370m.
United generate hundreds of millions in revenue each year, but the club remains over £1 billion in debt due to the leveraged takeover by majority owners, the Glazer family, in 2005 – a burden that costs tens of millions annually to service.
Featured image Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
