Manchester United will miss out on a huge £25million sum from kit sponsors adidas if they fail to qualify for next season’s Champion League.
United have a mega-money £75m-a-year deal with the sportswear brand – second only in the Premier League to Liverpool’s £80m contract with Nike – but there is a clause which is likely to be worrying the club’s hierarchy.
If United fail to qualify for Europe’s premier competition for a second straight season, adidas will not have to pay £25m of the £75m next season, taking the deal down to just £50m – a sum well below the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.
United were in pole position to take third place in the table on Monday night, but a last-gasp equaliser from Southampton dropped them instantly to 5th – a place that currently means Europa League for next season.
Until this week, fifth place would have guaranteed United a spot in next season’s Champions League, but after Manchester City won their appeal against a two-year European ban that all changed.
Now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men, who are 18 matches unbeaten in all competitions, will need to leapfrog Leicester if they are to secure a spot – and that extra 33 per cent of investment.
As it stands, United are level on points with Leicester with a three-goal deficit on goal difference, and four points behind third-placed Chelsea.
In their final three matches, the Red Devils face Crystal Palace away, West Ham at home – and then Leicester away in a mouthwatering clash on the final day of the season.
In the Premier League, Liverpool have the biggest sponsorship deal having signed an £80m-a-season contract with Nike back in January.
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