Manchester United will target the Europa League in earnest this season with the ambition of qualifying for Fifa’s new Club World Cup as well as mitigating the financial blow of missing out on the Champions League.

United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, mentioned the new 24-team Club World Cup as one of the “highlights” in his report to investors on the financial figures over the past three months. Early this year Woodward was among the European Club Association board members who signed a letter stating that they were opposed to the new tournament.

Eight European teams will take part in the inaugural competition in China in the summer of 2021 and the financial benefits are likely to be significant. It is expected that the winners of