Man Utd face losing a massive £900m if they are relegated. (Image: GETTY)
Adidas has the power to terminate its kit deal worth £900million with Manchester United if the club suffers a shock relegation from the Premier League, according to reports. The Red Devils have incredibly entered the conversation after losing five of their last six league matches while struggling to adapt to Ruben Amorim’s demands.
Following Monday’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United at Old Trafford, Amorim admitted that he had only overseen four training sessions with his first-team squad since replacing Erik ten Hag in November.
The hectic winter fixture schedule has left the 39-year-old using games to instil his philosophy, heavily impacting results at the dawn of his project.
He also raised eyebrows by claiming that United were in a battle to avoid relegation to the Championship as they languish in 14th, seven points above the bottom three after 19 games.
“That is really clear [that United are at risk of relegation]. It’s one of the most difficult moments in the history of Man Utd, and we have to address it with honesty,” Amorim told Sky Sports.
“When you have these kinds of moments, especially in the big clubs, it’s really hard to turn things around, especially when you don’t have a lot of time to train the basics, to cope with the difficult moments.
“So we have to acknowledge our position, the way you see the league, everybody can beat everybody. So we have to engage and focus on surviving.”
Should Amorim fail to overturn fortunes in his first season and the unbelievable outcome does occur, the consequences would be hugely damaging.
Man Utd have lost their last four matches. (Image: Getty)
According to The Telegraph, under the terms of United’s 10-year agreement with Adidas, the German sportswear giant has the option to rip up the contract.
Adidas can trigger the brutal clause if United drop out of England’s top flight but would have to give one full season’s notice.
It’s claimed there is also the option of cutting the payments in half to £45m for as long as the Red Devils are absent from the Premier League.
A 10-year extension was signed in July 2023, replacing the previous agreement worth £750m, which includes a £10m deduction if United fail to qualify for the Champions League again this season.
A United statement read: “This clause has been amended to state that a £10 million deduction will be applied for each year of non-participation in the Uefa Champions League, commencing from the 2025-26 season.”
United have also previously confirmed: “Our revenue from the sale of products, media rights, tickets and hospitality would fall considerably if our men’s first team were relegated from, or otherwise ceased to play in, the Premier League, the Champions League, the Europa League or the Conference League.
“Relegation from the Premier League or a general decline in the success of our men’s first team, particularly in consecutive seasons, may negatively affect our ability to attract or retain talented players and coaching staff, as well as supporters, sponsors and other commercial partners, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flow.”
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1995185/Man-Utd-news-900m-FFP-Adidas