Manchester United Could be Hit by UEFA's FFP for Excessive Debt

Manchester United could be facing some problems with UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations after the European football governing confirmed that they are considering including debt reduction into the FFP rules.

Despite spending in excess of £150 million on transfers this summer, United were unaffected by the Financial Fair Play regulations as they made huge profits through merchandise sales and new sponsorship deals.

The FFP was powerless to restrict United from spending excessively in the transfer market this summer as the committee currently only concentrates on preventing clubs from recording annual losses.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had earlier suggested that the FFP regulations have given a huge advantage to clubs like Manchester United, who have a lot of income due to their huge fan-following and history.

"When UEFA decided for financial fair play, they were trying to do this to make every team [have] equal possibilities, but the reality is that the big teams, the big clubs, the clubs with more years at the top with more fan base around the world, with more income, are the players that keep being the big spenders," he had earlier told ESPN.

Taking all this into consideration, UEFA have now confirmed that they are considering making changes to the UEFA regulations so that they can penalise clubs with excessive debts.

"We're now focused on losses and to repay the debt is part of the loss that the club can make at the end of the season. But, certainly, the question of debt is something that can be put on the table," ESPN quoted UEFA's general secretary Gianni Infantino as saying.

If this new amendment is implicated it will definitely be affecting Manchester United as they currently have a debt of £350 million.

Although United did not have any outstanding dues before the Glazers took over in 2005, the American owners burdened the club with a £790 million debt when they borrowed against the club to finance the takeover.

Real Madrid is the other club that will be affected by the proposed amendment as they are also currently €600m in debt.

Manchester City, who found guilty of breaching the FFP rules, had earlier expressed their disappointment at the decision, insisting that they were harshly punished despite them being debt-free.

"We have zero debt. We don't pay a penny to service any debt. For me, that is a sustainable model. However, our friends at UEFA seem to believe otherwise. They have their view, we have ours," City chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak had earlier told the club's official website.