Manchester United are set to become the first English club to announce an operating profit in excess of £100 million when accounts for the financial year ending June 30, 2010 are published on Friday morning.
But with the club unable to count on the £80 million transfer windfall generated by the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in June 2009, which contributed to a pre-tax profit of £21.6 million last year, Friday's figures are also expected to show a sizeable pre-tax loss, despite an increase in off-field revenue during the last financial year.
