Man Utd chief Gill says Telekom Malaysia deal proof Glazers know what they’re doing

Manchester United's new sponsorship deal with Telekom Malaysia is proof the Glazer's business model is the right one, says chief executive David Gill.

Instead of taking a global approach, United adopt a territorial stance, doing exclusive deals in specific areas to maximise income and make the most of an estimated 333 million supporters worldwide.

It was one of the facts the Glazers took into account when they launched their own takeover, which at the time even Gill felt involved too much debt.

Now though he feels the evidence points to a streamlined business model that, in the day-to-day running of the club, delivers huge profits.

"The owners thought we were doing very well on the commercial front but that there were other opportunities out there," he said.

"This is the insight they have brought in.

"It doesn't get much media coverage but the very fact they have come in and are able to do these deals benefits us. We can reinvest that money back into the team."

There could be a spin-off from United's latest deal.

"Manchester United created a lot of enthusiasm for football when they came on tour last summer," said Dato'Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, chief executive of Telekom Malaysia.

"Over the course of this deal I would like to see some of the younger talents in Malaysia go to Manchester United to train and maybe the other way round.

"That will only help our country to progress."

For United it means a greater connection to the four million fans they are estimated to have in the country, whose passion was shown in the summer when 40,000 people attended a match in Kuala Lumpur at 48 hours notice following the cancellation of the Jakarta leg of their tour.