Manchester United have taken their now-infamous cost-cutting measures to a new extreme. The club has decided to drop the long-standing practice of exchanging gifts with their opponents ahead of pre-season matches. While many teams still engage in the ceremonial swap of memorabilia, the Red Devils are breaking tradition to save their pounds.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe's brutal cost-cutting continuesMan Utd to do away with pre-season giftsRed Devils are desperate to save every pennyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Although the exchange of club pennants will continue, United have opted out of the more elaborate gift-giving custom, according to . The move will first be implemented when the Red Devils meets Leeds United in a friendly in Stockholm on July 19. Moreover, United’s upcoming fixtures against Premier League clubs West Ham, Bournemouth, and Everton as part of the Summer Series are also expected to proceed without any ceremonial gifting.
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Instead of distributing gifts, United now intend to invest that portion of their pre-season budget into hospitality. This new direction will debut in Stockholm with a formal drinks reception for Leeds executives. Club insiders argue that such events are more meaningful for relationship-building than the exchange of physical items, especially with sides they regularly encounter during the season.
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While United maintain that the move is not financially motivated, many observers see it as part of a broader strategy to trim expenses. Under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s stewardship, there has already been several significant budget adjustments, which include the termination of club legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial contract, reductions in salaries for icons like Bryan Robson, Andy Cole, and Denis Irwin, closure of the staff canteen and laying off hundreds of employees.
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Ratcliffe’s personal investment of £220 million ($299m) was aimed at rejuvenating the Red Devils, but he has made it clear that stabilising the financial situation takes precedence. Cost-saving measures, no matter how symbolic, such as cutting out pre-season gifts, could be interpreted as part of this bigger push to shift club culture, especially after incurring more than £300m ($408m) in losses over the past three years.