Man United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
(Credit: Imago)
Ciaran Morrison
Sat 20 December 2025 7:40, UK
Man Untied are in a deep amount of debt which is putting pressure on the club to qualify for the Champions League.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who has examined Man United’s first quarter financial results.
Amorim has been told he must secure Champions League football this season to ensure Man United do not dig themselves a deeper hole financially.
Man United are looking to increase ticket prices at Old Trafford in a move to improve their financial situation.
Man United finances ‘not a pretty picture’
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes the current finances at Man United do not make for good reading.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks Champions League football and offloading unwanted members of the squad are a must for the club.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “The debt stood out like a sore thumb. The amount of debt is amazing. I mean, its player receivables is still an amazing amount of money on player debt. They still owe on players.
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“And I think the amount they’re owed from other clubs for things they’ve sold, it’s clear that Champions League revenue is missing. And that’s the big, big hole for Man United. And they need that quickly going forward.
“And also, they need to get that cost base still down further, and they’ve got to get rid of that bomb squad that they’ve still got a lot of players there. They’ve still got a lot of player trading to do and some losses to take.
“And so it’s still not a pretty picture, but it just shows that Man United, even you know, a club of that scale, that level of debt, the glazers have done very well out of it still, and they’re still taking fees from it, as I understand. And the revolving credit facility is not far away from topping out at some stage and, then they’re going to have to refinance that at very high interest rates.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe in attendance at Old Trafford.
Credit: Imago
Man United targeting January moves
Man United’s financial position will not put the club off strengthening Amorim’s squad in the January transfer window.
Wolves‘ likely relegation to the Championship could mean Man United move for Joao Gomes amid Amorim’s pursuit of a new midfielder.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher could also join Man United, with the 25-year-old wanting to boost his England prospects.