Man Utd confirmed sponsorship revenue was down when they shared their latest financial figures on Thursday.
Omar Berrada is looking to agree new sponsorship deals.(Image: 2025 Chris Brunskill/Fantasista)
View 2 Images
Manchester United confirmed a decrease in sponsorship revenue when their first quarter financial results were announced, which was expected after the expiration of the £24million training kit deal with Tezos.
The Tezos-branded training kit had been worn by United's first-team squad across the last three years, and the logo had also featured on the training kit worn by the women's team.
Matheus Cunha was pictured in a Tezos-sponsored hoodie in unveiling pictures when he signed from Wolves, but the deal had expired by the time of Bryan Mbeumo's arrival from Brentford.
Tezos replaced AON as the club's training kit sponsor when they struck their deal in 2022. United were without a training kit sponsor in 2021/2022 after the conclusion of their agreement with AON. History has repeated itself this season, with a sponsor absent from the players' training kit.
The expiry of the Tezos agreement has impacted sponsorship revenue, which was £47m in the first quarter financial results, representing a decrease of £4.8m over the prior year.
That means sponsorship revenue has dropped by 9.3% due to the changes, but United also need to find a new sleeve sponsor sooner rather than later, because their agreement with DXC Technology, worth £20m per season, is due to expire at the end of the current campaign.
For four seasons, DXC has been featured on the club's home, away and third kits, providing global brand exposure for the tech company. The multi-year partnership has also seen DXC use their expertise to improve the way United engage with fans through their digital platforms.
Tezos no longer sponsor the training kit.(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
View 2 Images
The Premier League permitted sleeve sponsorship from the start of 2017/18. United announced the first sponsors of their sleeves, Kohler, for the following campaign under a multi-year agreement. That deal ended in 2022, which led to DXC coming in and taking up the sleeve sponsorship.
United are in discussions to find a new sponsor for their training apparel and kit sleeves. Sources have indicated that there is a "strong pipeline" of prospects for both sponsorships.
The Tezos and DXC deals were thought to be worth a combined £44m per season, so it's crucial that United negotiate the best deal they can find from that "strong pipeline" of prospects.
United believe the first quarter figures show they are making progress in improving their financial position, but sources have conceded that more hard work and discipline are required for long-term sustainability.
In a statement, Omar Berrada said: "These robust financial results reflect the resilience of Manchester United as we make strong progress in our transformation of the club.
"The difficult decisions we have made in the past year have resulted in a sustainably lower cost base and a more streamlined, effective organisation equipped to drive the club towards improved sporting and commercial performance over the long-term.
"That has helped us to invest in our men's and women's teams, sitting in sixth and third places in the Premier League and women's Super League respectively."
Berrada will be aware of the importance of arranging fresh sponsorship agreements. United cannot afford to operate without them.