The search for a new brand partner is being headed by Malcolm Glazer's son, Bryan Glazer, who was responsible for rebranding the American Football team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Glazer is said to be untroubled by the departure of Vodafone as a sponsor of Manchester United, partly because the mobile phone brand is little known in the US, and is seeking to sign up a brand that is recognised globally and is better placed to exploit links with the world's best-known football team.
Other names being mentioned as possible successors to Vodafone include Google and Levi Strauss.
The 拢36m deal between Vodafone and Manchester United came to an end on Wednesday. It had been expected to run for a number of years more, having only been renewed by the mobile giant for a further four years last summer.
However, reports suggest that not long after the football club's new owners, the Glazer family, took over, talks began about scrapping the deal and replacing Vodafone.
The ending of the sponsorship brought to a close a relationship that began when Vodafone took over as shirt sponsor from Sharp in early 2000.
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