Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo caused a stir when he signed a two-year contract with Manchester United, completing a fairytale return to the Premier League giants.
Since the Red Devils confirmed that the 36-year-old will wear his iconic No.7 shirt, the Portuguese legend’s transfer sent shockwaves through the football world.
The replica shirt has shattered sales records, with Adidas straining to keep up with demand just 12 hours after its release.
While the shirt’s popularity develops, it is unlikely to cover the cost of Man United’s decision to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford.
Ronaldo breaks the shirt sales record in UK
According to reports, Cristiano Ronaldo’s No.7 shirt has already shattered the record for most shirt sales just days after it was revealed that he will wear the legendary number.
According to LovetheSales, supporters spent a total of £32.5 million for the shirt in just 12 hours after it was released.
The website collects sales statistics from over 1,000 online shops in the United Kingdom.
Between those dates, the club is thought to have sold 295,500 and 406,250 jerseys, making it the Premier League’s top-selling jersey, ahead of Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.
Shirt sales alone won’t cover the cost of his move to United
However, there is a chance that shirt sales alone will cover the cost of his mega-move to Manchester United.
Because of the Red Devils’ partnership with Adidas, the Premier League giants will only receive 10% of the earnings from shirt sales.
In 2014, Manchester United agreed to a £750 million ten-year sponsorship contract with Adidas.
Despite the kits costing anywhere from 80 to 110 pounds, experts predict Man United’s cut from the shirt will be closer to a maximum of £5 per shirt.
How much have Man United made with the sales
If the calculations are correct, Manchester United will only make around £2 million from the jersey sales, debunking predictions that the sales will cover Ronaldo’s initial £13 million transfer fee, which may climb to £19 million with add-ons.
While jersey earnings will be insignificant in terms of Manchester United as a brand, the return of Cristiano Ronaldo provides the Old Trafford executives with an opportunity to boost their brand value and increase revenue from sponsorships and brands.
Update on Cristiano Ronaldo shirt sales
Adidas, Manchester United’s uniform manufacturer, is failing to keep up with demand, according to reports, with retail sites across the UK running out of kits.
According to LovetheSales, supporters spent $60 million for Ronaldo’s jersey in the first 24 hours after it was released, breaking the Premier League record for the highest sales after a player’s official shirt number was revealed.
