Adidas will be the biggest financial winners from the increased shirt sales resulting from Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United, with their Premier League record £750million sponsorship deal enabling them to keep the vast majority of merchandising revenue.
With United receiving a guaranteed £75m payment from adidas each year, the club’s commission on shirt sales and resultant bonuses is relatively modest, at around £4 for each £60 adult shirt sold.
Merchandising revenue included, United’s accounts show they received £78.8m from adidas in 2019 and £77.8m last year as shirt sales fell.
Adidas will benefit the most from Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United
So Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford is a welcome boost for the German sportswear manufacturers, not least as they will benefit from sales generated by a player contracted to their rivals Nike.
Re-signing Ronaldo should at least enable United to regain bragging rights from Liverpool, whose shirt sales outnumbered their neighbours for the first time in the Premier League era last year by 1.95m to 1.7m.
Everton benefit from positive Brazil relationship
Everton’s relationship with the Brazilian FA (CBF) is so good that the federation withdrew Richarlison’s international call-up for this month’s controversial World Cup qualifiers a fortnight ago to ensure the striker would not be banned for Monday’s Premier League home match against Burnley.
The CBF have asked FIFA to invoke the five-day regulation preventing Liverpool, Manchester City, Leeds and Chelsea selecting their Brazil internationals — who were not permitted to travel to South America — until Wednesday, while Wolves, Newcastle and Watford will also be missing players this weekend after Mexico, Paraguay and Chile made the same request.
Richarlison will be available while other Premier League Brazilians might not be
While several Premier League clubs have complained about Everton getting special treatment, it is understood that the issue was