Manchester United have reached an agreement with TeamViewer to allow the club to look for a new front-of-shirt sponsor, the German software company has announced. TeamViewer’s five-year partnership with United was due to run until 2026, in a deal reported to be worth £47million per year.
However, a “mutually-beneficial agreement” with the business software company has now been made which gives United the option of buying back the rights to the shirt sponsorship, which could then be sold on to another interested party.
The news follows on from the Glazer family having confirmed they were considering putting the club up for sale last month.
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Manchester United said in a statement: “After a period of collaborative, private discussions over the past months, Manchester United and TeamViewer AG have reached a mutually-beneficial agreement under which Manchester United shall have the option to buy back the rights to the club’s shirt front sponsorship.
"Having agreed its partnership with TeamViewer at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Manchester United will be taking the opportunity to commence a focused sales process for a new shirt front partner in a normalised market.
"Once a new shirt front partner is selected and takes on this role, TeamViewer will continue as a valued member of Manchester United’s suite of global partners, providing Manchester United with remote connectivity solutions, until the end of the original contract term in 2026.
"Since July 2021, TeamViewer has benefitted from unparalleled global exposure as the most talked-about shirt front partner in world football, following the most visible launch for a football club partner in the digital era.
"TeamViewer’s financial commitments to Manchester United remain unchanged whilst they remain the club’s shirt front partner, after which their financial commitments will reflect their status as a global partner. No further announcement will be made until Manchester United has selected a new partner to replace them on the front of its iconic shirt."
A TeamViewer statement said the agreement "will allow Manchester United to commence a focused sales process for a new long-term shirt front partner with the expectation for TeamViewer to transition out of this role as soon as practicably possible."
It added: “Once a new shirt front partner is selected and takes on this role, TeamViewer AG will remain part of Manchester United’s partner ecosystem until the end of the original contract term, with an adapted scope of partnership.”
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