Man Utd budgeting for extended Champions League absence | OneFootball

Manchester United's financial planning will not factor in Champions League qualification for the next four years, according to a new report.

The Red Devils were ever-presents in European football's primary club competition between 1993 and 2014, winning the 1999 and 2008 editions under Sir Alex Ferguson. But United have made just one appearance in a Champions League quarter-final in the subsequent 11 years, spending a significant amount of time competing in the Europa League.

A disastrous 2024/25 campaign, started off under Erik ten Hag and continued under Ruben Amorim, means qualifying for any kind of European football now rests on United winning this season's Europa League – a task recent form would suggest they are not up to.

If they do, United will be entered into next season's Champions League, but the very real possibility of playing no continental football will put a significant strain on the club's already delicate finances. Minority owners INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, have implemented sweeping changes at Old Trafford, restructuring the way the club is run at all levels in order to save money.

That's led to an unprecedented number of employees being put at risk of redundancy – something Amorim has admitted in recent times is the responsibility of the players.

A report from the Telegraph states United's financial planning for the next few years is no longer geared around qualifying for the latter stages of the Champions League, and instead accounts for likely participation in the Europa League.

Man Utd won the Europa League in 2017 / Anadolu/GettyImages

Next season's forecasting specifically accounts for the fact United could only be playing Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup football – which will have a significant impact on matchday income, sponsorships and TV broadcasting revenue.

Not playing at the highest level of European football will also impact Amorim's and the club's ability to attract top class players, despite the club's prestige and storied history, and player departures will be a huge factor in determining how much is spent on transfer fees.

United's Europa League adventure continues on Thursday with the first leg of their round of 16 tie with La Liga side Real Sociedad – a team they have become accustomed to facing in recent years. The Red Devils have won both of their recent trips to Spain, 4-0 in February 2021 and 1-0 in November 2022, but lost by the same scoreline the last time the Basque side visited Manchester.