Stefan Borson
Sun 25 May 2025 10:21, UK
Manchester United are set to go a season without European football for the first time in more than a decade following their Europa League final defeat.
Ruben Amorim’s side were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham after Brennan Johnson grabbed the winner in Bilbao on Wednesday (21 May).
That meant the 20-time English champions missed out on a place in the Champions League, with Spurs set to play in the competition instead next season.
The final was the Premier League duo’s last opportunity to qualify for European football as Man United sit 16th in the top-flight table and Tottenham are 17th heading into the last game of the season.
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider United will have an immediate £80million hole in their accounts after missing out on Champions League football.
United posted a club-record revenue of £661.8million in 2023-24, but they recorded a net loss of £113.2million.
Ruben Amorim Man United
(Credit Imago)
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Man United financial details revealed in official documents
Borson revealed United’s accounts detail the cost of failing to qualify for the Champions League.
He told Football Insider: “The interesting thing is, United do actually in their accounts gross up both the broadcast and the matchday revenue they have received over the last three years from Uefa.
“What’s interesting about it is because it’s a risk factor within their accounts, so the way that works when you’re a US-listed company is you have to give quite a lot of disclosure around what the risks might be of whatever they are.
“One of the things is obviously failure to qualify for the Champions League, and they do also talk about how much they generated over the last three years.
“You have got the situation where next season they will lose at least five games because I think it’s hard now if you’re a Premier League team, it’s hard to see that you’re going to finish below the 24th place and therefore not even get the play-off game, so you’re likely to get even in the worst-case scenario 10 Champions League games with five at home.
“So, you’re likely to do something like £70-80million from the Champions League prize money even in a worst-case scenario if you’re Manchester United, so that is an immediate hole there.”
Position Club GP Pts GD
13 Everton 37 45 -3
14 Wolves 37 41 -15
15 West Ham 37 40 -18
16 Man United 37 39 -12
17 Tottenham 37 38 +2
Premier League table (as of 24/05/2025)
Man United in very advanced talks to sign Matheus Cunha
In terms of on-field matters, Football Insider revealed on 23 May United’s talks with Matheus Cunha are very advanced despite their failure to qualify for Europe.
Sources say the deal has now been wrapped up and will be announced “soon” after the Brazil international’s £62.5million release clause in his Wolves contract was triggered in recent weeks.
Cunha initially gave United encouragement over the deal last month as he closes in on a move to Old Trafford.
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