Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary refused an offer to sponsor English soccer giants Manchester United – because it was too expensive.

The cost cutting airline mogul turned down the opportunity to have his name emblazoned on Wayne Rooney’s chest.

Currently attempting to cut the number of toilets on board his planes from three to just one, O’Leary has confirmed the United offer was too rich for his taste.

He has also insisted that his lifelong dedication to United’s rivals Manchester City had nothing to do with his decision to decline the $35million dollar offer to sponsor the Premier League champions.

The deal was put in front of O’Leary and Ryanair when US Insurance giant AIG imploded. They have since been replaced as shirt sponsor by the AON group.

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“The United shirt sponsorship was for around $35million,” said Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary. “But the sponsorship opportunity was too narrow. It was too expensive for what it was worth to us.”

O’Leary’s love of Manchester City is such that he turned up to open a new base in Manchester in his club shirt.

“I was offered a stake in Manchester City in 2003,” revealed O’Leary. “I wrote back a very nice letter saying, ‘Thank you very much, I’ve been a life-long supporter of Man City. They’ve broken my heart on many occasions but I’ll confine my support to going to Maine Road twice a year.'"

“Can you imagine buying a controlling interest in an English team? You’d be all over the back pages of the papers.”