Sir Jim Ratcliffe has delivered a critical assessment of several Manchester United players, stating that some are “not good enough” for the club.
The Ineos chairman, who acquired a 27.7 percent stake in Manchester United about a year ago, openly discussed the club’s concerning situation on Monday.
The British billionaire revealed that Manchester United has been financially losing money for the past seven years due to poor financial management. This includes increasing staff numbers and making unsuccessful player signings. These issues put the club at risk of financial exhaustion by the end of 2025.
Many of these unsuccessful signings involved substantial transfer fees and high wages, but their performances on the field have not justified the investment.
Ratcliffe, aged 70, specifically named five of the most prominent examples that his Ineos investment had to absorb the cost of.
In an interview with the BBC, he stated, “Looking at the players we’ve signed in recent times – players we didn’t sign ourselves, but inherited – we’ve got Antony, Casemiro, Onana, Hojlund, Sancho.”
“These are all issues from the past that we’ve inherited and must resolve.”
Regarding Sancho, who is currently playing for Chelsea with Manchester United covering half of his salary, Ratcliffe mentioned they are still paying £17 million for his initial purchase last summer.
These signings were made during Erik ten Hag’s management, with John Murtough and Richard Arnold in leadership roles overseeing these decisions.
Ratcliffe mentioned that the club is projected to spend £89 million this summer on debt interest alone, even without any new player signings.
He added to the BBC, “Some players are simply not good enough, and others are likely overpaid.”
“It will take time for us to shape the squad that we are fully responsible for and accountable for.”
“We are in a period of transition, moving from the past into the future.”
“There are definitely some excellent players in the squad, including our captain, Bruno Fernandes, who is a fantastic footballer.”
Ratcliffe suggested that Manchester United is finally prepared to make significant progress towards regaining its top status, now that the final pieces of the management structure are in place.
Although he acknowledged that some current decisions might be unpopular, he expressed optimism that they would ultimately benefit the club’s long-term objectives.
Ratcliffe emphasized the positive aspects, including a revised transfer strategy to support manager Ruben Amorim this summer. He believes Amorim has faced challenges due to player injuries.
He commented to the BBC, “Looking at the squad available to Ruben, I believe he is doing a commendable job.”
“I rate Ruben as an exceptional young manager, and I believe he will remain with us for a long time.”
“We are starting to see glimpses of what Ruben can achieve. We saw a glimpse of it against Arsenal.”
“Considering the bench against Arsenal, how many players did you recognize? How many have actually played for Manchester United’s first team? We are currently down to about 10 or 11 regular first-team players. Ruben is doing an outstanding job under these circumstances.”
Expanding on this, he mentioned, “If you adjust our wage bill to account for the players currently unavailable to Ruben, our salary expenditure would rank around mid-table, similar to clubs like Nottingham Forest or Everton, not comparable to Manchester City.”
“This adjusted wage bill is approximately £130 million, whereas Liverpool’s wage bill is around £200 million, and Manchester City’s is £300 million. That’s the context of the squad Ruben is working with.”
Ratcliffe also praised Amorim’s character, revealing that Amorim is not afraid to challenge him directly in discussions.
Amorim’s team is preparing for the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 match against Real Sociedad, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
Another positive development Ratcliffe highlighted was the plan to build a new stadium and revitalize the surrounding area.
