Manchester United could turn to lucrative midweek friendlies in a bid to raise money in the absence of European football this season, according to reports. The Red Devils are missing out on crucial revenue after failing to qualify for any of the UEFA competitions. Last season, they were unable to secure a £100million payday as they lost to Tottenham in the Europa League final.
As a result of their shortcomings last season, United’s midweek fixture schedule is now unusually clear. Their recent defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup means they will only play one more midweek game between now and Christmas. United chiefs are said to be looking to use their extra preparation time to make money by scheduling mid-season friendlies.
Club executives are weighing up the possibility of facing several top European sides in revenue-generating fixtures that would be played abroad, according to The Sun.
United could reportedly set up matches against the likes of AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Sevilla and Lazio in the coming weeks. All four clubs also failed to qualify for European football at the end of last season.
The Red Devils could benefit from the extra money that would be generated by playing those matches in locations such as the Middle East. They reportedly generated over £16m during pre-season, when they travelled to Asia and the United States.
Since taking control at United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has launched a crackdown on unnecessary spending. His cost-cutting mission has involved hundreds of redundancies, while certain privileges for remaining staff have been reduced or banned altogether.
Ratcliffe previously told The Guardian that United would have ceased to exist without his brutal money-saving measures. That is despite the Red Devils spending over £216m on new players during the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile, it is claimed that Ruben Amorim is also considering taking his players on team-building trips during their extra time off.
He reportedly believes that spending time in the Algarve or the Middle East would allow United’s struggling stars to build a greater rapport and strengthen their connections on the pitch.
Amorim has repeatedly underlined the importance of having a strong team spirit, saying at the start of the campaign: “Last year, sometimes I was worried going to the games, but now I’m excited, it is completely different.
“We suffered together so much and that can bond people. The spirit is really good. When you feel the team is playing well, you get confident and you feel more free to play.
“If you feel more free to play, you are happier. If you are happier, your day-to-day is better and it’s like a snowball.”
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