After taking over Manchester United, Ratcliffe reformed the club's organizational structure, staff training and many other aspects. "BBC" disclosed this process. On Christmas Eve 2023, Ratcliffe acquired 27.7% of Manchester United'...
After taking over Manchester United, Ratcliffe reformed the club's organizational structure, staff training and many other aspects. "BBC" disclosed this process.
On Christmas Eve 2023, Ratcliffe acquired 27.7% of Manchester United's shares for 1.25 billion pounds and vowed to bring the club back to the top of English football. He also hopes to make the club profitable. The club's staggering financial loss of £113.2 million as of June 30, 2024 prompted Ratcliffe to warn in March of the following year that the club would be "bankrupt" before Christmas if no action was taken.
The changes on the court are obvious. Ten Hag was replaced by Amorim and more than £450m was invested in the first-team squad. In addition, Ratcliffe also spent 50 million pounds to renovate Manchester United's Carrington training base.
Manchester United's behind-the-scenes changes were as shocking as an earthquake, and there were two motives behind them. Club executives believe that Manchester United's internal structure is too large, with too many employees and positions. They found that the structure of the club required it to compete in the Champions League and compete for the Premier League title every year, otherwise it would put a strain on finances. In view of this, reducing the number of employees has become an inevitable option.
Soon after Ratcliffe took over, he carried out the first round of layoffs, involving 250 employees. The second round of layoffs of 200 people this year has allowed management to implement a new staffing model and use funds more efficiently. This change is particularly obvious in Manchester United's data operations. In an interview with the "United We Stand" fan magazine in December 2024, Ratcliffe criticized the club's data analysis methods for being backward.
Michael Sansoni from Mercedes F1 Team joined Manchester United in April as data director. Sansoni has revolutionized United's data capabilities and the technologies are now widely used in performance, recruitment and training. Manchester United's data and analytics team work has been accelerated to a "top four level", according to a source.
After the second round of layoffs, the club’s strategic focus shifted to recruiting “versatile, multi-skilled talents.” Senior management appointments are particularly notable. There are 19 names on the list of new executives. Not all departures are forced, but the scale of the changes is indeed huge. However, two important figures have been retained, chief operating officers Colette Roach and Martin Mosley. Roach is responsible for the planning of Manchester United's new stadium, while Mosley will take over as general counsel in the summer of 2024.
The presence of Roach and Mosley is seen as a link to the pre-Ratcliffe era. Other senior executives include CEO Omar Berada (formerly worked at Barcelona and Manchester City), chief commercial officer Mark Armstrong (formerly worked at Paris Saint-Germain), performance director Sam Ellis (formerly worked at Manchester City, Tottenham, the FA) and recruitment director Christopher Wavell (formerly worked at Chelsea, Red Bull Group) and others are new additions. Trusted Ineos member Roger Bell becomes Manchester United's chief financial officer, while Kirsten Furber joins from Channel 4 as people director. In addition, there are a series of new appointments in medical, nutrition, media and other positions.
Nevertheless, many former key figures have left, and it is unclear whether the future will be better. There is acknowledgment within United that the effects of the new process will take time to show. Sometimes, however, certain initiatives clearly fail. Dan Ashworth is one example. Although he was highly respected, he left the club within five months after paying Newcastle £3m in compensation. Sources deny that his departure was related to the selection of Ten Hag's successor, but differences of opinion led to the eventual breakup, which resulted in United paying approximately £4 million in compensation.
As Ratcliffe approaches his second anniversary at Manchester United, the club has undergone earth-shaking changes. The huge losses have been controlled within a manageable range. The latest financial report as of June 30, 2025 shows that the club's loss was 33 million pounds. It is expected that the club will eventually achieve profitability.
The Glazer family are not spectators and remain actively involved in the club, but the current focus is on Ratcliffe and his leadership team. A club insider said: "What happens next week or in the next transfer window is just part of life, but we have to focus on the medium and long-term goals."
Manchester United's goal this season is to return to the European competition, but these major changes are not just for this short-term goal. The club has bigger ambitions. A person familiar with the club's operations said: "If you are at Manchester United, your thinking must be around competing for the Premier League and Champions League titles every year. This is undoubtedly a huge pressure, but it should also be regarded as a privilege."
source:free7m
