Kieran Maguire issues ‘£55m’ reveal as Man United tipped to coming roaring back
Man United will eat up the ground on Man City as their financial situation stabilises.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the balance of financial power in Manchester.
City posted revenues of £569.8million for the year ending June 2021 last Wednesday (12 January), a 19 per cent upswing on their last set of accounts.
United’s turnover for the season was £494m, making 2020-21 the first time in history that they have failed to be the top-flight’s biggest earners.
Last season was heavily impacted by the pandemic as restrictions throttled clubs’ matchday income.
But Maguire suspects that United will regain their status as the Premier League’s biggest revenue generator soon.
“I think this is likely to reverse,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“United earn almost twice as much matchday income as Ciy because they have a different demographic of fan profile.
“United have a more international fanbase who are prepared to pay more for tickets and have more of a hospitality focus.
“City have global partners and there is a lot more interest in them. But it is still very much a Manchester club with a working-class fanbase and tickets are priced accordingly.
“There’s a £55m difference in a normal season in terms of matchday income.
“It’s like running a 1500-metre race and the person in front of you has a 200-metre headstart. You can catch them up but it’s going to be more difficult.
“The big difference is Europe. City reached the final of the Champions League last season, whereas United ended up in the Europa League.
“The Champions League accounted for 78 per cent of Uefa’s prize money last season.
“United are now in the knockout phases of the Champions League, which puts them in a strong position to recover. I suspect they’ll be back on top.
“We have a saying in business: Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash is reality.
“This is bragging rights only, but the fact that it is the first time it’s happened is a poke at Man United.
“I suspect they thought they were going to be top dogs in perpetuity.“
United are currently 7th in the league table, 24 points behind 1st-place City.
The two clubs face each other for the second time this season on 5 March.
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