Tag: Man Utd

  • Man Utd to play friendly in Hong Kong after 12 years

    Man Utd to play friendly in Hong Kong after 12 years

    Manchester United will play friendly matches in Malaysia and Hong Kong three days after the end of the Premier League season, the club said Tuesday.

    Ruben Amorim’s side will face an ASEAN All-Star XI team in Kuala Lumpur on May 28 and the Hong Kong representatives on May 30.

    They will finish what has been another disappointing Premier League campaign on May 25 at home to Aston Villa.

    United last visited Asia when they played Liverpool in Thailand in July 2022.

    They will take part in the Premier League Summer Series in the United States ahead of the 2025-2026 season.

    Chief executive Omar Berrada said: “Importantly, tour fixtures drive significant additional revenue which help make the club stronger, allowing us to keep investing in success on the pitch.”

    Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool previously announced they will visit Hong Kong in July.

    United, who currently languish 13th in the Premier League, last visited the Chinese city in 2013.

    The Hong Kong team is managed by former United youth team player Ashley Westwood and is ranked 153rd in the world.

    AFP

  • Man Utd plotting Mateta move – Friday’s gossip

    Man Utd plotting Mateta move – Friday’s gossip

    Manchester United eye surprise move for Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, Arsenal to miss out on Joshua Kimmich and Harvey Elliott could leave Liverpool on loan.

    Manchester United are considering a summer move for Crystal Palace’s French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, 27. (Sun – subscription required), external

    Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Tottenham are all interested in Bournemouth’s Spain Under-21 defender Dean Huijsen, 19, who would cost £50m. (Mail – subscription required), external

    West Ham and Crystal Palace are among the clubs looking to sign Southampton’s England defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, 23, this summer. (Football Insider), external

    Atletico Madrid are expected to bid about 60m euros (£50m) to sign Marseille and England forward Mason Greenwood, 23, at the end of the season. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

    Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich, 30, looks set to stay at Bayern Munich this summer despite interest from Arsenal and Paris St-Germain. (Sky Germany)

    Chelsea are interested in Real Betis’ Spain Under-19 winger Jesus Rodriguez, 19, who has a £42m release clause, with Liverpool also monitoring his progress. (Mail), external

    Manchester United and Liverpool have asked about the availability of Atalanta’s Brazil midfielder Ederson, although Manchester City also have a strong interest in the £50m-rated 25-year-old. (Caught Offside), external

    Manchester United hope to make summer sales before activating the 80m euro (£67m) release clause in the contract of RB Leipzig and Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko, 21. (Caught Offside), external

    Liverpool also want to make Sesko part of their planned summer overhaul. (Give Me Sport), external

    Liverpool could send England Under-21 midfielder Harvey Elliott, 21, out on loan next season in order to play more first-team minutes. (Football Insider), external

    Barcelona are prioritising agreeing a new contract with Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, after interest in him from Arsenal. (Sport – in Spanish)

  • Man City, Man Utd turn to FA Cup glory to save poor seasons

    Man City, Man Utd turn to FA Cup glory to save poor seasons

    Manchester City’s hopes of a trophy this season now rest solely on the FA Cup ahead of Saturday’s visit of second-tier Plymouth, while holders Manchester United also desperately need silverware to rescue a miserable campaign.

    With Premier League leaders Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham already out, the path has been cleared for the Manchester giants, who have faced off in each of the past two finals.

    Brighton, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are among the other clubs who are dreaming of glory come Wembley on May 17.

    Here, AFP Sport looks at the pick of the ties from the fifth round this weekend:

    Crystal Palace v Millwall (Saturday 12:15 GMT)

    Twice FA Cup runners-up, Palace have never won a major trophy but are coming into form at the right time if they are to reach Wembley this year.

    Oliver Glasner’s men have won seven of their last nine games in all competitions, most recently thrashing Aston Villa 4-1 in midweek.

    Jean-Phillippe Mateta’s streak of eight goals in nine games has helped the Eagles soar clear of any relegation trouble and up to 12th in the Premier League.

    Now they face a local derby against Championship side Millwall, who are keen to spoil the ambitions of their south London rivals.

    Man City v Plymouth (Saturday 17:30)

    Plymouth were the story of the fourth road as they stunned Liverpool 1-0 at Home Park.

    Argyle’s reward is a trip to the Etihad and a shot at another monumental shock.

    Plymouth boss Miron Muslic has become an internet sensation after clips of his inspirational team talks went viral and is looking forward to coming up against his coaching idol Pep Guardiola.

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    “It’s the biggest honour in my life,” said Muslic.

    “I’m very much looking forward to shaking his hand and telling him that he’s a giant of our sport and a huge, huge role model for every single coach in the world.”

    Newcastle v Brighton (Sunday 13:45)

    Arguably the tie of the round sees sixth in the Premier League take on eighth.

    Newcastle already have one final to look forward to next month against Liverpool in the League Cup.

    The Magpies have not won a major trophy for 56 years but can ill-afford to let the success or failure of their season hang on a clash with the Premier League champions-elect.

    Brighton have won four in a row after a difficult spell in Fabian Hurzeler’s first season in charge.

    The Seagulls won at St. James’ Park earlier in the season and often save their best for the toughest opposition.

    Much will depend on the fitness of Newcastle’s 21-goal striker Alexander Isak, who missed Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool due to a groin strain.

    Man Utd v Fulham (Sunday 16:30)

    United saved a shambolic campaign last season by beating City to lift the Cup but few can see Ruben Amorim’s men repeating the feat.

    The Red Devils did show heart in beating Ipswich 3-2 on Wednesday despite Patrick Dorgu’s first-half red card for just a third league win in 11 matches.

    Fulham sit five places and nine points above United in the Premier League, but have lost both meetings between the sides 1-0 this season.

    The Cottagers not only have revenge for those matches in mind, but for a controversial FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford two years ago.

    Fulham led 1-0 with 15 minutes to go until captain Aleksandar Mitrovic, Willian and manager Marco Silva were all sent-off following a handball on his own line by Willian.

    United went on to win 3-1 and Mitrovic received an eight-game ban for pushing referee Chris Kavanagh.

  • Man Utd to make up to 200 more staff redundant

    Man Utd to make up to 200 more staff redundant

    Manchester United will make up to 200 jobs redundant to “return the club to profitability”.

    About 250 members of staff were made redundant last year in a first wave of cost-cutting measures by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

    In a meeting with staff on Monday, United chief executive Omar Berrada informed employees that there would be a fresh round of redundancies as part of a “transformation plan”.

    The club said: “The transformation plan aims to return the club to profitability after five consecutive years of losses since 2019.”

    It added that “approximately 150-200 jobs may be made redundant, subject to a consultation process with employees”, with the process expected to take between three and four months.

    As of 30 June 2024, Manchester United had 1,140 employees, so 450 redundancies would be 39% of the club’s workforce.

    Last week the club revealed a loss of £27.7m in their second quarter financial results and the Red Devils have lost more than £300m over the past three years.

    United are on course for their lowest finish in the Premier League era as Ruben Amorim’s team are 15th in the table after Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Everton.

    The club added that additional measures are being taken to “improve the club’s financial sustainability and enhance operational efficiency.

    “This will create a more solid financial platform from which the club can invest in men’s and women’s football success and improved infrastructure”.

    Berrada said: “We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men’s, women’s and academy teams.

    “These hard choices are necessary to put the club back on a stable financial footing.

    “We have lost money for the past five consecutive years. This cannot continue.

    “Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continuously losing money.”

    Man Utd braced for more redundant

    What other changes will there be?

    United also announced the appointment of Marc Armstrong as the club’s chief business officer on Monday.

    The transformation plan will include some staff moving from Old Trafford to the club’s Carrington training base and a reduced presence will be maintained in London, but all the club’s leadership will be Manchester-based, including Armstrong.

    Free lunches will no longer be provided for staff at Old Trafford, saving more than £1m a year, while the catering arrangements at Carrington will be unchanged for the remainder of the season.

    The club’s annual donation to the Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association (MUDSA) will remain at £40,000 and the club is in talks with the Manchester United Foundation (MUF) about its level of contribution.

    Ratcliffe has announced a string of cost-cutting measures since his investment in United, with the club saying at the time that the first round of redundancies would save between £40m-£45m.

    In December, Ratcliffe warned more “difficult and unpopular decisions” would be taken to get the club to where he wants it to be. Matchday ticket prices have been increased to £66 per game, with no concessions for children or pensioners.

    Ratcliffe is still to decide whether to rebuild Old Trafford, which could cost £1.5bn, or build a new ground, which would likely cost more than £2bn.

    Ratcliffe’s impact on Man Utd’s football operations

    Ratcliffe’s Ineos group completed a deal worth about $1.6bn (£1.25bn) for a stake in Manchester United in February 2024.

    Ineos then took over football operations at Old Trafford and quickly began a restructure with Ashworth appointed sporting director, Berrada as chief executive and Jason Wilcox as technical director.

    In June, Ineos opted to keep Ten Hag as manager but then sacked him and his coaching staff, at a cost of £14.5m.

    United paid Sporting £11m to bring in coach Ruben Amorim as Ten Hag’s replacement in November, and they also paid £4.1m to hire and then fire Ashworth.

    United’s latest accounts showed a net loss of £113.2m in the year to 30 June 2024.

    It follows losses of £28.7m in 2022-23 and £115.5m in 2021-22, with total losses across the past five years exceeding £370m.

    During Ratcliffe’s first full season as co-owner, United could finish in the bottom half for the first time since 1989-90, when they were 13th in the old First Division.

    According to last season’s ‘merit’ payments from the Premier League, if United remain in their current 15th position they will receive £16.9m – almost £20m less than the £36.7m they earned for finishing eight last term.

    Winning the Europa League is the team’s only realistic avenue of qualifying for next season’s Champions League and should they fail to do so, they will suffer a £10m annual drop in their sponsorship deal with Adidas.

    That is likely to put further pressure on United’s chances of bolstering Amorim’s squad in the summer and will bring greater scrutiny on the wisdom of so many of United’s recent transfer dealings.

  • ‘A decade of mismanagement’ – Man Utd reveal revenue drop

    ‘A decade of mismanagement’ – Man Utd reveal revenue drop

    A Manchester United supporters’ group says fans must not “pay the price” for the club’s financial “mismanagement” after the Red Devils announced revenues decreased by 12% in the last financial quarter.

    The club announced on Wednesday that revenues had dropped to £198.7m for the final three months of 2024, down from £225.8m for the same period 12 months previously.

    Overall, the club made an operating profit of £3.1m – down from £27.5m over the same period in 2023 – after spending £14.5m on the sackings of Erik ten Hag and his coaching staff, including the £4.1m cost of hiring and then dismissing former sporting directorDan Ash worth within five months.

    The announcement comes against a backdrop of the club making over 200 redundancies and raising matchday ticket prices to £66 per game, with no concessions for children or pensioners.

    United wrote to supporters in January to say “difficult” decisions would need to be taken as the club was “close” to breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

    The club did not deny reports that it is seeking to make further redundancies when approached by BBC Sport earlier this month.

    It is expected by United that the restructuring decisions will lead to savings of between £30m and £40m.

    “Fans should not pay the price for a problem that starts with our crippling debt interest payments and is exacerbated by a decade or more of mismanagement,” said Manchester United Supporters’ Trust in a statement.

    “It’s time to freeze ticket prices and allow everyone – players, management, owners and fans – to get behind United and restore this club to where it belongs.”

    Manchester United’s second quarter results

    Revenues down 12%, from £225.8m to £198.7m

    Broadcast revenue down 42%, from £106.4m to £61.6m

    Operating profit down 88.7%, from £27.5m to £3.1m

    Commercial revenue up 18.5%, from £71.8m to £85.1m

    £14.5m spent on sacking of Erik ten Hag and his coaching staff, including £4.1m on hiring then firing of former director Dan Ashworth

    Club debt up from £506.6m to £515.7m

    They owe £414m on transfer fees to other clubs

    ‘Winning Europa League has to be the focus’ – analysis

    Football finance expert Kieran Maguire pointed out that United have now paid more than £1bn in interest repayments on the debt used to finance the 2005 Glazer family takeover.

    He said the FA Cup win last season, which resulted in Europa League football, has “saved their bacon”, and that winning the Europa League this season “should be the focus” to bring Champions League football back to Old Trafford.

    Maguire said: “A good season in the Champions League can be worth far in excess of £100m. By the time you combine gate receipts, sponsor bonuses and the prize money available, the numbers involved are eye-watering.

    “Europa League should be the focus. Winning that competition will give them far more flexibility in 2025-26.”

    Background – United’s debt explained

    The main driver of United’s decrease in revenues was the drop in broadcast revenues.

    The club said this was down to United’s men’s first team playing in the Europa League compared to the Champions League in the 2023-24 season.

    Now led by Ruben Amorim, United sit a lowly 15th in the Premier League table but are through to the Europa League knockout stages, as well as the fifth round of the FA Cup.

    Overall, the club made a quarterly operating profit of £3.1m, which was down from £27.5m over the same period in 2023, but United said club debt increased from £506.6m to £515.7m because of “unfavourable” exchange rate changes.

    Included in the results is a £14.5m ‘exceptional item’ figure, made up of the £10.4m spent on sacking Ten Hag and his coaching staff in October and £4.1m for the departure of Ashworth in December.

    Commercial revenue was up 18.5% from £71.8m to £85.1m, as a result of the front-of-shirt partnership with Snapdragon.

    “We recognise the challenges in improving our men’s team’s league position and we are all working hard, collectively, to achieve that,” said Omar Berrada, United’s chief executive officer.

    Berrada said the club’s redevelopment of the training ground was “on track”.

    The £11m cost of appointing new head coach Amorim and his staff is not specifically mentioned in United’s latest financial results.

    United sources say that cost is being spread over their two-and-a-half-year contracts.

    The club paid the sum to activate Amorim’s release clause at Portuguese outfit Sporting while he was under contract and with the 2024-25 season under way.

    Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s co-owner, has a 28.94% stake in the club through his Ineos group.

    The British billionaire has sought a number of cost-cutting measures in order to help the club to comply with profit and sustainability rules.

    Under profit and sustainability rules (PSR), clubs can record a maximum loss of £105m over a three-year reporting period.

    United’s losses over the past five years total over £370m, but some costs – such as infrastructure costs, youth development and community spending – do not count towards PSR calculations.

    Since Ratcliffe’s investment was announced in December 2023, United have made about 250 staff redundant.

    The club made two men’s team signings in the January transfer window, with Patrick Dorgu arriving from Lecce and Ayden Heaven joining from Arsenal.

    Marcus Rashford, Antony and Tyrell Malacia all left United on loan.

    However, transfer activity in January is not included in the latest financial results as it falls outside the quarterly timeframe.

  • Man Utd weigh up £40m move for Ipswich’s Delap – Wednesday’s gossip

    Man Utd weigh up £40m move for Ipswich’s Delap – Wednesday’s gossip

    Manchester United are considering a move for Liam Delap, Liverpool are set to offer Newcastle Darwin Nunez plus cash in an attempt to land Alexander Isak, and Brighton might reluctantly sell Japan forward Kaoru Mitoma.

    Manchester United are weighing up a move for Ipswich Town’s £40m-rated England Under-21s striker Liam Delap, 22. Delap, who came through Manchester City’s academy, has 10 Premier League goals this season and is also interesting Chelsea. (i Paper), external

    Liverpool are prepared to offer Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez, 25, plus cash in exchange for Newcastle’s £100m-plus rated Sweden forward Alexander Isak, 25. Isak has scored 17 Premier League goals this season. (Football Insider), external

    However, Newcastle will not allow their best players to leave if they miss out on qualifying for next season’s Champions League. (Daily Mail), external

    Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in Eintracht Frankfurt’s French striker Hugo Ekitike, 22, as an alternative to Isak. (CaughtOffside), external

    Liverpool are set for a busy summer of transfer activity, with Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, on a list of players the Reds might bid for. (Teamtalk), external

    Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, who has got Cherries fans dreaming of Europe, is top of Tottenham’s list if they decide to replace Ange Postecoglou, who has been in charge since June 2023 but is under pressure following a poor run of results. (Talksport), external

    Manchester City’s Argentine midfielder Maximo Perrone, 22, wants to turn his loan in Italy with Como – managed by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas – into a permanent move. (Calcioline – in Italian), external

    Brighton might reluctantly sell Japan forward Kaoru Mitoma, 27, this summer for about £66m as he enters the final two years of his contract, with Chelsea one of the clubs interested. (CaughtOffside), external

    AC Milan’s Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, 26, will sign a new deal with the Italian club until 2030. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external