Manchester United could be set for a surprise move this season, as a new way to raise revenue for the club has now been revealed.
Manchester United’s loss in the Europa League final last season was disappointing on its own -losing to a team that hadn’t won a major trophy in recent history – but it also meant that they missed out on the Champions League for the following year.
This wouldn’t have been as disastrous if Rúben Amorim hadn’t let United to 15th place in the Premier League. To add insult to injury, the only hope of midweek football was ripped away from the Red Devils in the shocking defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.
United won’t play midweek football until the start of December, leaving Sir Jim Ratcliffe with further financial issues after being forced into cost-cutting during his first year as a partial owner at Old Trafford.
Carrington was rebuilt over the summer, and the new stadium project is ongoing: United need to raise revenue soon if they are to continue spending in the transfer market and the improvements off the pitch. INEOS appear to have found a solution.
United could play Saudi Arabia fixture before Christmas
United are used to travelling throughout the season for tough away games in Europe, before returning to England for an entirely different test in the Premier League. Last season – despite being awful in English football – United flew abroad eight times during the campaign.
The club have missed out on approximately £85 million by not qualifying for a European competition this season, a big blow in INEOS’ attempt to rebuild the club after several dismal years on the pitch.
Now, The Athletic have revealed that United are exploring the opportunities of playing a mid-season friendly in Saudi Arabia to raise revenue. Talks are at an “early stage” but United are considering ways of raising funds to continue the rebuild, and this is now an “option”.
United could participate in Riyadh Season, an annual sports event held between October and March, which features major events. While these events sometimes take place outside of Saudi Arabia, they often feature huge stars with heavy investment from Saudi PIF.
Previous reports have also suggested that the likes of AC Milan, Lazio, Sevilla, and RB Leipzig could be interested, with a standing agreement in place between United and the latter to play a friendly fixture in the near future following Benjamin Šeško’s move to Old Trafford.
It hasn’t been confirmed if a game will go ahead, but United could raise serious funds from at least one mid-season friendly and give fans a break from the awful performances in the Premier League.
Will Amorim be in charge for the friendly?
If the friendly does go ahead, United could use this as a way for a new manager to learn how the squad plays, with more fringe players getting an opportunity to show their skillsets in a non-competitive match, much like what happens in pre-season.
Amorim could be against the idea, as he may ask for more time on the training ground to continue to embed his style of play, although this doesn’t seem to be working at the start of this season.
A new manager would also need time on the training ground, but some managers prefer to learn about their squad in match-like conditions, and what is more real than another 90 minutes against a new side.
Those who have been linked to the United job – Gareth Southgate, Xavi and many others – could be forced into the friendly as one of their first games in charge if United agree to the match and Amorim continues to perform poorly.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.