Manchester United have £643m reason why Omar Berrada could unlock transfer potential

In the Premier League, there is only one team that gives a financial picture quarterly: Manchester United.

As a Plc, floated on the New York Stock Exchange, United is duty-bound to publish its results to shareholders and the market four times a year. Sometimes there isn’t too much to be gleaned from a three-month snapshot, other times there can be some very clear needs to be pulled from the figures.

The results for the first quarter of United’s 2023/24 financial year were made public last week, with the headline figures being the wage bill rising by almost 10 per cent during the period, largely due to the summer acquisitions of the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, and Mason Mount, but also through a return to Champions League football that resulted in the 25% cut imposed after failing to make the top four in 2021/22 ended and wages returning to the pre-agreed, top-four-qualifying level.

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Other figures to stand out were the losses incurred. United’s revenue for the quarter was £157.1m, and while a small pre-tax operating profit of £2m was made, post-tax, and with significant interest charges added, the loss came in at £26m, including a £7m tax credit.

The figures came out just days before the club announced a significant addition to its operational team, the first signs of a change in football approach after oversight on that side of the business was handed over to Sir Jim Ratcliffe following his acquisition of 25% of the club on Christmas Eve. That is a deal that is formally yet to be ratified by the Premier League, although almost certainly just a