Manchester United considering midweek friendlies abroad
Last updated on .From the section Football

Manchester United are thinking about playing midweek friendlies abroad, says one of the club's directors.
Reports suggest a lack of Champions League football this season could cost United more than £40m.
United's managing director Richard Arnold says lucrative fixtures overseas are something the club will "continue to look at".
An early League Cup exit means they will play only three more midweek games this season, all in the Premier League.
Manchester United's 2014 summer tour | ||
---|---|---|
Opposition (Venue) | Score | Attendance |
LA Galaxy (Pasadena) | W 7-0 | 86,432 |
Roma (Denver) | W 3-2 | 54,117 |
Inter Milan (Washington) | D 0-0 (W 5-3 pens) | 61,238 |
Real Madrid (Michigan) | W 3-1 | 109,318 |
Liverpool (Miami) | W 3-1 | 51,014 |
United won the Champions League as recently as 2008, but their seventh-place finish last season under David Moyes meant they missed out on European club football's premier competition for the first time in 19 years.
The club reported a record annual revenue of £433.2m for the financial year 2013-2014, and profits of £23.8m.
But not being in a European competition this year could affect that revenue by around 10%.
More than 100,000 fans watched United's 3-1 win over Real Madrid in Michigan this summer during the side's pre-season tour of the United States.
And Arnold believes manager Louis van Gaal would be receptive to similar fixtures during the Premier League campaign.
"We have a fantastic partnership in terms of our work off the pitch and I'm very appreciative of the support we have had from him," Arnold said.

"For many years of our [pre-season] international tours, there is a plan to ensure we get that team building that goes together with getting the team all together in one place.
"That's something that's being looked at."
Meanwhile, United striker Robin van Persie says Van Gaal is installing a Dutch mentality on the squad's meetings.
"It's very demanding in a good way as you have to be focused every single day of the sessions or the meeting," Van Persie says.
"You have to give your own input, which is what the staff likes. That's a bit of the Dutch thing."
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Genuinely concerned the BBC are trying to increase the hatred for United with all these pointless non-stories.
Why aren't we discussing the ridiculous comments by Jason Roberts over a hidden racial agenda or perhaps discuss how well Leicester are playing currently, or the miracle Koeman is pulling off at Saints despite many thinking they were doomed?
Frustrating.
1. CFC, MCFC, AFC & LFC in CL action, like tonight.
2. THFC & EFC in Europa.
3. Soton's rise.
4. Black coaches debate.
5. WBA truly turning it around.
6. Mourinho's double ambitions.
7. LFC & EFC's current plight after last season (ManU are exactly where they were)
8. Leicester's good start.
9. Pardew staying in job.
10. Wolves' turnaround
Yep, at least 10.
Is BBC sport that biased towards Manchester United, that rather that focus headline attention on the clubs that earned the right to play in the Champions League this evening (neither of which I support); instead you lavish it, yet again, upon the club you seem to believe has a divine right to attention, regardless of performance.
Seriously, enough is enough.
This bias must stop.
As a Utd fan, I'd be much more interested to here NUFC fans' views on Pardew rather than the predictable 1000 hysterical comments about Utd that will now follow! Some harsh words about Rooney would have been more fun too!
Hope I never hear a whinge about fixture congestion again.
Manu friendlies, or any other club friendlies for that matter aren't important.
I would have thought some mid-week searching for capable central defenders by LVG might be more applicable.
With all the relevant and thoroughly interesting news items that we would love to be talking about e.g Southamptons lofty (and deserved) position and many more we get stuck with this rubbish.
Oh yes Man U might spot some English player worth developing too, as might City, chelsea and arsenal it they were to do the same from time to time!
How stupendously undignified!
The once Great Man U reduced to touting for meaningless friendlies to make a quick buck.
Didn't qualify for Europe because you weren't good enough - get over it!
Since the Dutch approach is going well, how about some Edam