Manchester United are set to lose out on millions of pounds if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season due to failing to hit performance-based incentives with their shirt sponsor, according to Mirror.
Team Viewer, a German tech company, replaced Chevrolet last summer to become Manchester United’s new principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor, in a deal said to be worth around £235million over five years, the Mirror understands.
Moreover, a similar agreement was reached with kit provider Adidas, who also have a Champions League clause in their deal with United. Their £750million, ten-year deal with Adidas broke records when unveiled in 2014, but in order to maximise the income on this deal, United must be amongst Europe’s elite come the end of the season.
Failure to clinch a top-four spot would see the Red Devils miss out on sizeable payments from both kit provider and shirt sponsor, which could have a hugely detrimental domino effect on incomings in the summer transfer window, both through a lack of Champions League football, partnering the club’s financial shortcomings.
Should they miss out on top-four, United will likely have to raise funds through a dressing room overhaul and current manager, Ralf Rangnick, has never shied away from questioning his players’ commitments, dropping them from key games, or simply admitting they will not be part of the club’s plans next season.
High-profile names such as Paul Pogba and Cristiano Ronaldo will likely look towards the exit door, with the Frenchman seeing his deal expire this summer, while Ronaldo may be inclined to move to a club competing with Europe’s elite in the Champions League next season. United currently sit in seventh in the Premier League, six points shy of Spurs in fourth, and will have their work cut out in order to catch the north London side in the final seven games of the season.