American International Group’s (AIG) deal to sponsor one of the world’s biggest football clubs was partly driven in an effort to raise the morale of staff, it has been revealed.

AIG shocked much of the football world when it announced it had struck a deal to provide shirt-sponsorship for English giants Manchester United.

However at the East Asian Insurance Congress in Brunei, Nicholas Walsh, executive vice president with the group, said the deal has both business and morale implications.

He told the delegates that the enquiries by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, into the insurance market which has focused on the firm for some period of time had dented the morale of it staff.

The deal he said gave a signal to staff that the company was still keen to build business, with a sponsorship of this size clearly showing AIG’s future intensions.

He added that Manchester United’s popularity and brand recognition in the Asian market was also a big business factor.

Walsh said the brand association would boost the company’s recognition in what is one of the fastest developing regions on the planet whilst raising its profile in major markets across Europe.