United, whose £14m-a-year deal with discredited
insurance company AIG runs out in June 2010, have been scouring the
globe for a major sponsor to replace AIG for the start of the
2010-11 campaign.
And Aon, a Chicago-based global financial services
company, are understood to have won the race to have their logo on
United's shirts from the start of the 2010-11 season.
United are yet to confirm the lucrative partnership,
but it is understood that the deal could be worth £20m-a-year for
the Premier League champions.
Despite AIG's announcement earlier this year that they
would not be renewing their deal with United, the company will
continue to have its name on the club's shirts next season.
Shirt manufacturers Nike have already produced next
season's United kit, which is due to be unveiled on the club's Far
East tour next month, and the prohibitive cost of pulping more than
a million shirts in order to sport a new logo has ensured that Sir
Alex Ferguson's players will continue to wear AIG on their jerseys
next term.
A number of companies have been linked with the United
shirt deal, including Indian firms Sahara and TATA, plus
electronics giant Samsung and Saudi Telecom.
But Aon now appear to have moved into pole position to
claim one of the most prestigious advertising deals in world
sport.
BIGGEST SHIRT DEALS
Manchester United's £80m shirt deal outstrips the
sponsorship packages agreed by their Premier League and European
rivals.
Bayern Munich - £17m-a-year, four-year deal with
telecommunications company T-Home.
Real Madrid - £15m-a-year, four-year deal with Austrian
gambling company Bwin.com.
Juventus - £15m-a-year, five-year deal with Libya-based
oil company Tamoil.
Chelsea - £10m-a-year, five-year deal with Korean
electronics giant Samsung.
Liverpool - £8m-a-year, four-year deal with
Carlsberg.
Manchester City - £8m-a-year, three-year deal with
Etihad Airways.
Barcelona - European champions donate £1.5m-a-year to
Unicef in order to wear the charity's logo.
