£422m owed by Manchester United to rivals

Manchester United suffered a major financial blow this season as the Red Devils failed to secure European football.

Last season the Europa League brought in £40 million in revenue, whilst a win in the final would have seen qualification for the Champions League.

In turn, joining the top level of European football would have brought about £100 million in extra revenue, but it wasn’t to be.

Now, under Michael Carrick, United look set to rejoin the ranks of the Champions League, and it couldn’t come at a more needed time.

The Times has revealed that despite recently announcing £19.6 million in operating profits in the second-quarter, The Red Devils have transfer debts of £422 million still to pay.

This summer saw United sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens for just over £200 million.

However, these, and many of their other transfers, were agreed with payment plans to see their fees paid over several years.

Matheus Cunha’s £62.5 million release clause, for example, was agreed with Wolverhampton Wanderers to be paid across three years in instalments of £20.8 million.

However, it’s been revealed that £238 million of the transfer instalments, making up 56% of the full sum, are owed in the next 12 months.

Whilst the exact makeup of these fees are unknown, payments for Cunha, Sesko, Mbeumo and Lammens play a part, as well as Joshua Zirkzee’s £35.3 million from Bologna, with many more also contributing.

Over the last five years, United have spent a colossal amount on new signings, most of which they’ve failed to claw back through sales.

Antony cost £90.9 million from Ajax and was then sold to Real Betis for £20 million last summer, whilst Jadon Sancho arrived from Borussia Dortmund for £73 million and is set to leave as a free agent this summer.

Casemiro arrived from Real Madrid for £60 million and, much like Sancho, is set to leave for free at the end of the season.

With United routinely making losses on their transfers, with £80 million Harry Maguire also at risk of leaving for free this summer, the pressure is building to generate revenue in any way possible.