Man United reminded of £17million Premier League gamble after Europa League decision

If Ruben Amorim sticks to his word and focuses solely on the Europa League, it could end up costing Manchester United £17 million.

When taking United's current situation at face value, it's easy to see why Amorim would make the Europa League his side's focal point. They're 14th in the Premier League with nothing to play for domestically, but in Europe, they're in the semi-finals of the Europa League where a victory in that tournament would grant them automatic Champions League qualification.

And although Amorim is a man with years of experience both as a player and a successful manager, I believe his thinking is wrong. It also wouldn't be a surprise if Sir Jim Ratcliffe disagreed with his team's head coach too as it all comes down to one thing - money.

In an effort to tighten up United's finances, Ratcliffe has implemented some harsh cuts. Whether it's having 250 staff members lose their jobs, with more anticipated this year, or the staff having their free hot meals slashed and replaced with soup and toast, the INEOS chairman is on a mission to save money.

With this being at the forefront of Ratcliffe's mind at the moment, I would expect the 72-year-old to be reminding Amorim about Premier League prize money.

The difference in prize money between positions has fluctuated throughout recent seasons. In 2023/24 it was around £2.8m per position. The year before, it was higher at £3.1m. Although there is no clear guide for this season, estimations can be made as to how much each club will make if the table stayed how it was.

Football365 has predicted that United in 14th would take £19.7m in prize money. The gap to 17th placed West Ham is only two points currently. So, if United were to lose all their remaining games due to a lack of concentration on the league and drop down to 17th, they would lose £8.4m in prize money.

However, if United were to have a stellar end to the season and stunningly win all their remaining fixtures - Bournemouth (A), Brentford (A), West Ham (H), Chelsea (A), Aston Villa (H) - they could shoot up to eighth and earn an extra £17m, something that would put a smile on Ratcliffe's face.

The money could boost United’s transfer budget — or, less glamorously, help cover the club’s debt payments, which the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust warns could rise to £50m a year within two seasons.

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