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Sources: Significant Man United shirt sponsor update as official proposal made
Footage that appears to show a sponsorship proposal made on behalf of Man United to South Africa Tourism is genuine, Football Insider has independently verified.
A video recently surfaced on Twitter of a South African official unboxing a United shirt emblazoned with the ‘Visit South Africa’ branding.
Football Insider has, in collaboration with South African journalist Timmy T Maranda, ascertained that the proposal is authentic and that the man featured is Themba Khumalo, CEO of South Africa Tourism.
The news comes after Tottenham agreed a sleeve sponsorship deal with the same company worth a reported £42.5million over three years.
The deal has not gone down well in South Africa, with many political commentators condemning the outlay during a time of national energy crisis and wider economic uncertainty.
Khumalo references the deal in the unboxing footage, confirming that the United proposal was made – or at least received – after the Spurs partnership was agreed.
United are currently on the hunt for a new front-of-shirt sponsor after agreeing to buy back their rights from TeamViewer, who were deeply unsatisfied with the return on their £47.5m-a-year investment.
Football Insider revealed on 3 January that the 20-times league champions have held talks with another tourist board, Visit Saudi, about a possible front-of-shirt deal.
However, it is understood that those talks were only preliminary in nature and that the interest from Gulf state-based groups in a takeover of United could complicate matters.
The tourism industry is making inroads in Premier League football – Arsenal have a sleeve sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda and Newcastle United have recently been linked with a Botswana-centred partnership.
In other news, Gabby Agbonlahor “baffled” by Casemiro footage as Man United make appeal decision.