Maguire: Rashford proves Man United can profit from mooted game-changing FIFA plans

Maguire: Rashford proves Man United can profit from mooted game-changing FIFA plans

Kieran Maguire

Kieran joined the Football Insider squad in January 2021 and provides clarity for readers on the occasionally bewildering world of football finance. He is an author, university lecturer and all-round spreadsheet boffin. His 2020 book The Price of Football is a seminal work on the economic side of the beautiful game.

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The success of academy graduates like Marcus Rashford proves that Man United will be in a strong position if spending caps are ever introduced.

That is according to finance guru and Football Insider columnist Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively after FIFA president Gianni Infantino floated the idea of spending limitations.

In an interview with Spanish outlet AS (via Inside World Football), Infantino said: "we should think if we can introduce some sort of salary caps, transfer fee and squad size limits."

The 51-year-old believes financial control mechanisms could be pivotal in ensuring the long-term viability of the global game.

Maguire claims that the success of young United stars like Rashford might give them an edge over their rivals if such regulations were introduced.

"This could benefit Man United," he told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams.

"They have always been keen to promote from within via the academy.

"If you take a look at what they've got at the moment, Rashford, Greenwood, McTominay and potentially others as well, you can see that.

"So this might benefit them if they fear another Man City, Chelsea or PSG, like we might see with Newcastle if the takeover goes through.

"I don't see it being a huge issue. If salary and transfer caps are a soft cap, by which I mean they are related to revenue, it would actually put Man United in a relatively strong position.

"They are the biggest revenue earners on a year-by-year basis. That could work in their favour."

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