Manchester United player sales claim made as Glazers and INEOS fight against financial tide
Man United could fall behind the biggest clubs in European football financially if they continue to not qualify for the Champions League.
That is according to football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley who has exclusively told Football Insider that Man United’s financial accounts could be a long-term problem for the club.
Ruben Amorim’s position at Man United could be threatened if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.
The Red Devils have also failed to sell all of their ‘bomb squad’ with Marcus Rashford on loan at Barcelona, Jadon Sancho on loan at Aston Villa, and Tyrell Malacia still at Old Trafford.
Man United not ‘in a desperate position to sell’
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley doesn’t believe Man United will have to sell players in the upcoming January or summer transfer window to aid their financial position.
“I think again, I will probably caveat this a little bit with the numbers that we’re looking at here represent a period where the wage bill has come down,” Plumley said.
“Some of those profits from players that have moved on will have boosted those numbers; they’ll be realised in the future. I don’t see them as being in a desperate position to sell right now.
“Certainly not in January. Probably not in the summer window as well. But I think where I would kind of position the challenges for the club, as I say, is further down the line if you don’t make it back into Europe at all, or if you don’t get back to those highs in the Champions League.
“You stand at the risk of falling behind some of those other clubs that they’ve been competing with financially at the top end of European football. And I think that’s then when it starts to bite.
“I don’t think it’s a short-term problem, but there’s no doubt that, you know, a club like that needs to be back in the Champions League sooner rather than later.”
Kobbie Mainoo’s future remains uncertain
Man United would be able to sell Kobbie Mainoo in the January window, with numerous clubs interested in signing the 20-year-old.
The midfielder has seen his playing time limited under Amorim, although the manager has said he has no plans to sell the academy graduate.
Bruno Fernandes’ injury picked up against Aston Villa may mean Mainoo is forced to stay at the club, with Amorim having also lost three players to the African Cup of Nations.