When Man Utd penned a 10-year partnership extension with Adidas last summer, it was agreed that failure to qualify for the Champions League on two consecutive occasions would lead to a whopping 30 per cent reduction in annual payments. The Red Devils lost Wednesday's final and it means they'll now go two years without Champions League football, therefore breaching their agreement.
One senior figure spoke to the BBC about how this major payout as well as the Tezos sponsorship of the club's training kit running out this season will have major repercussions for the side.
"Not being a European team creates more existential issues around the whole model. It's not healthy, and people start to question whether you are still a 'big club'. But win, and it keeps the wheels spinning. The cash will be 'lifeblood' that allows them to keep trading. If not, they'll have to look at selling homegrown talent like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo to give them the funds they want."
The Red Devils earned £93.1m from their 2018-19 Champions League run, which ended in the quarter-finals.That figure then dropped to £37.5m during the 2022-23 campaign, when they were in the Europa League. Now, after finishing well outside of Europe and failing to book a place in the Champions League with a win against Tottenham in the final, the Red Devils are in serious trouble financially, more than ever before.