Man Utd have been fined £256,000 for a breach of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules.

United expressed their disappointment after UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body punished them for a ‘minor break-even deficit’, and immediately released a statement explaining their position.

It read: ‘While disappointed by the outcome, Man Utd accepts this fine for what UEFA acknowledges to be a minor technical breach of its previous Financial Fair Play rules.

‘This reflected a change in the way that UEFA adjusted for COVID-19 losses during the 2022 reporting period, which allowed us to recognise only €15m of the €281m of revenues lost due to the pandemic within the FFP calculation.

‘Post pandemic, the club’s revenues have recovered strongly and are forecast to reach a record level in the current financial year.

Man Utd have been fined by UEFA for breaking Financial Fair Play rules in 2022

The Premier League side, which Erik ten Hag (above) manages, expressed disappointment after UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body punished them for a ‘minor break-even deficit’

Man Utd sustained Covid-19 losses of £40million in the 2022 monitoring period having already taken a hit of £200million due to the pandemic in the previous two years

‘The club continues to support the enforcement of rules to promote financial fair play and sustainability across domestic and European football.’

United sustained Covid losses of £40m in the 2022 monitoring period having already taken a hit of £200m due to the pandemic in the previous two years – more than any other Premier League club.

However, United could not adjust for the loss in the 2022 break-even calculation due to an unforeseen change in the way UEFA dealt with Covid losses within its new financial regulatory structure. While United were able to comply with the Premier League’s FFP rules, the club fell short of the new UEFA requirements.

It’s understood that United believe they would have easily met the threshold without the changes, and are disappointed over UEFA’s lack of flexibility.

Sources point out that the £256,000 fine is related to previous FFP rules, and does not have an impact on the club’s transfer budget this summer.

However, UEFA’s punishment underlines the increasingly tough stance being taken by the football authorities over FFP which have restricted United’s budget to £120m in this transfer window.

UEFA’s punishment underlines the increasingly tough stance being taken by the football authorities over FFP which have restricted United’s budget to £120m in this transfer window

After signing England star Mason Mount for £60million, United are locked in negotiations with Inter Milan and Atalanta to try and drive down the asking prices for goalkeeper Andre Onana

After signing Mason Mount for £60m, United are locked in negotiations with Inter Milan and Atalanta to try and drive down the asking prices for goalkeeper Andre Onana and striker Rasmus Hojlund.

Man Utd were not the only club to be fined by UEFA on Friday afternoon. Barcelona were also fined by UEFA for wrongly reporting profits from ‘disposal of intangible assets’ that should not have been accounted for as income according to FFP rules.

Riga FC, NK Olimpija Ljubljana and SK Slovan Bratislava were also fined €10,000 – with UEFA stating they failed to submit complete and accurate break-even information by the required deadline.

RSC Anderlecht were also handed a €100,000 fine after failing to meet the targets set by an earlier conditional agreement. While Istanbul Başakşehir found themselves in a similar boat – having received a €400,000 fine after failing to meet the targets set for the financial year 2022.