Man Utd chief Ed Woodward sends major transfer warning to fans over coronavirus crisis

Manchester United have been linked with a number of big-money transfers this summer but Ed Woodward has warned spending huge amounts of money is unrealistic given the current climate.

Posted Saturday, April 25, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Man Utd chief Ed Woodward sends major transfer warning to fans over coronavirus crisis
Man Utd chief Ed Woodward may not spend big this summer (Image: GETTY)

Manchester United have been linked with a number of mega-money transfers this summer but Ed Woodward has warned clubs may not be able to spend big because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Red Devils will want to improve their squad to close the gap on the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

But Woodward says the footballing world will face a huge challenge when the sport returns.

All matches have been suspended due to coronavirus with no indication on when they may get underway once more.

And it also means United may not be spending upwards of £100million on the likes of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho or Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

“Nobody should be under any illusions about the scale of challenge facing everyone in football,” said Woodward.

“It may not be 'business as usual' for any clubs, including ourselves, in the transfer market this summer.

“As ever, our priority is the success of the team, but we need visibility of the impact across the whole industry, including timings of the transfer window, and the wider financial picture, before we can talk about a return to normality.

“On this basis, I cannot help feeling that speculation around transfers of individual players for hundreds of millions of pounds this summer seems to ignore the realities that face the sport.

“It's also important to acknowledge the part played by our successful business in allowing us to fulfil our social responsibilities.

“We have always believed that our commercial model gives us greater resilience than most clubs and we are grateful for the enduring support of our commercial partners in helping us achieve that.”

Woodward also opened up on United and admits they are keen to return to playing when it is safe to do so.

Before all football was suspended Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were on an unbeaten run which saw them closing in on Chelsea in the race for the top four.

“We are eager to see the team return to the field as soon as we are advised it is safe to do so, hopefully to complete a season which still held so much promise for us in the Premier League, the Europa League and the FA Cup when it was suspended,” said Woodward.

“We are in constant dialogue with our governing bodies about when and how that will happen.

“And while it may be that games need to be played behind closed doors in the shorter term, we all recognise that football will not be fully back to normal until supporters are once again in attendance.”

United will be desperate to finish in the top four to help them attract their top transfer targets even if they are able to spend less than originally anticipated.