Ed Woodward insists United’s ‘financial strength enables us to continue to attract and retain top players’ ahead of the January transfer window opening.
United’s executive vice-chairman made the statement after the club’s quarterly financial results were released on Thursday ahead of Woodward speaking to investors on the New York Stock Exchange.
The club posted an operating profit of £13.9m in their first-quarter results, but commercial revenue and match day revenue have fallen to £75.9m and £16.3m respectively.
The club’s total revenue is down 6.1 per cent year-on-year to £135m – attributed to the fixture schedule – and the projected overall revenue is still expected to be £615m-£630m.
Wages have increased by more than 10 per cent to £7.1m, which factors in Alexis Sanchez’s January move and Marouane Fellaini’s new deal in the summer. And while United only made three summer signings – Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant – Woodward insists they have the finances to attract top players.
“Our financial strength enables us to continue to attract and retain top players and to invest in our academy, as we look to drive the success on the pitch that the club and our fans expect.
“We remain on track to deliver our record full-year revenue guidance, underpinning our long-term, strategic plan to create sustainable growth across all areas of the club.”
Untied and Jose Mourinho do not traditionally like to do business in January but the club have always adopted the stance that they will enter the market if the right opportunity arises.