Manchester United’s qualification for the 2026/27 Champions League has triggered a significant uplift in player wages, though not for everyone. A new contract clause, introduced after 2023, has created a two-tiered bonus system, rewarding key performers while leaving others on their standard salaries.
Under the club’s old contract system, any player on the books would automatically receive a 25% wage increase upon Champions League qualification. This legacy structure continues to benefit several high-profile players. Marcus Rashford, who signed his latest deal in July 2023 before the changes, is set to see his weekly wage climb by 25% to more than £300,000, representing an annual increase of £4 million. This places him among the club’s highest earners, alongside Bruno Fernandes, who also commands £300,000 per week, according to Capology.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana and midfielder Mason Mount are also in line for the 25% pay rise, having been contracted under the old system, The Telegraph reports. United’s estimated gross fixed salaries for the 2026-27 season stand at £155,038,000, or £2,981,500 per week, before these bonuses are factored in.
New system impacts recent arrivals
The landscape is different for players who joined United after 2023. The new contract system stipulates that a player must feature in at least 60% of the minutes in the preceding season to qualify for a Champions League bonus. This change has a direct impact on recent acquisitions like Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte.
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Zirkzee, who arrived at United in 2024, will not receive a bonus, meaning his reported £105,000 per week wage will remain unchanged as he did not meet the 60% playing minutes threshold. This situation could make him an attractive prospect for clubs like Serie A giants Juventus, who are reportedly interested in his services.
Similarly, Manuel Ugarte will miss out on the bonus. The midfielder sustained a knee injury during the World Cup, which significantly limited his playing time. Notably, FIFA’s club protection programme covers 80% of Ugarte’s £150,000 salary due to his injury sustained on international duty.
Addressing legacy contract issues
The introduction of the new wage structure aims to rectify issues United faced with their previous contract clauses. In the summer of 2023, the club reportedly struggled to offload players due to the automatic 25% wage jump tied to Champions League qualification, which made them difficult to move on. For instance, players like Donny van de Beek, who played just 294 minutes in the 2022-23 campaign, and Eric Bailly, who spent the season on loan at Marseille, would not have qualified for a salary uplift under the current criteria.
The Telegraph highlighted that United were ultimately forced to waive a transfer fee for Bailly when he joined Besiktas, despite having a year remaining on his contract, illustrating the financial strain of these legacy deals. The new system is designed to reward those who contribute significantly on the pitch, save the club millions in wages, and provide greater flexibility in the transfer market by making it easier to manage the squad and offload players who are surplus to requirements without inflated wage demands.
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