Manchester United could play a number of high profile friendlies to compensate for the potential £20m loss that will be incurred in the increasingly likely event they do not qualify for next year’s Champions League.

The club would tour the world, playing high profile games in places such as China, the Middle East and the United States. The Guardian reports that the club hierarchy is confident a series of high profile games would make up the shortfall from finishing outside the top 4 in the Premier League.

United are currently sixth in the table, 11 points behind fourth placed Liverpool. Last year, when United reached the last 16 of the Champions League, the competition earned the club roughly £35m..

The aim of the planned series of friendly games would be to maximise revenue through a pay-per-view TV service, capitalising on United’s vast global fan base.