There is a silver lining for Man United even if their shirt sponsors AIG go bust, according to football finance experts.

AIG, the biggest insurance company in the USA, is facing an uncertain future after their share value fell by 40% on the New York stock exchange.

United are privately confident that their record US$101.3million shirt sponsorship deal will be unaffected by the turmoil - they have two years on the four-year deal left to run.

But Simon Chadwick, professor of sports business strategy at Coventry University, believes the club could even benefit if they have to find a new sponsor given that as Premier League and European champions their value is at an all-time high.

Chadwick said: "Shirt sponsorship values appear to be holding their own well in the Premier League and also in Germany.

"It may be an issue outside the Premier League but my view is that if Manchester United do have to find a new sponsor, they would almost certainly pay as much and quite probably more.

"United are currently European champions and Premier League champions, so they could not be in a better position.

"The issue for United would be finding the right sponsor with a global operation as a partner, to give the club global coverage, something AIG does perfectly at the moment."

Chadwick believes West Ham are also well-placed to find a new shirt sponsor who will match their income from XL Holidays, the company that went bust last week just one year into a US$13.4million three-year deal with the Hammers.

He said: "There will be some initial cost to West Ham as they have to find a new sponsor but in my view they are likely to find a partner who will pay as much."