Some Manchester United players are “not good enough” and some are “overpaid”, the club’s co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says.
Midfielder Casemiro, striker Rasmus Hojlund, goalkeeper Andre Onana, and wingers Antony and Jadon Sancho – who are on loan at other clubs – were namechecked by the billionaire in an interview with BBC Sport as players his regime had “inherited”.
Ratcliffe, a lifelong Manchester United fan, is the chairman of petrochemicals company Ineos, which has a strong sports investment arm.
The 72-year-old last year spent £1.3bn for a 28.94% stake in the club in a deal which saw Ineos take control of football operations.
In a wide-ranging interview, Ratcliffe addressed the side’s recent struggles on the pitch – they are 14th in the Premier League table – and repeated a pledge to deliver silverware by 2028.
And talking just a day after fans protested against United’s ownership, he also spoke of the club’s financial difficulties, saying it was set to run out of money by the end of the year without taking actions he admitted were “unpopular”.
It takes times to move from past to future – Ratcliffe
Ratcliffe lamented the fact the club still had payments owed on players signed before he took control, citing what he said was a £17m payment still to be made for Sancho this summer.
The England winger was a £73m signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 but returned to the German club on loan after falling out with then-United boss Ten Hag and was loaned to Chelsea at the start of the current season.
“If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn’t buy, we’re buying Antony, we’re buying Casemiro, we’re buying Onana, we’re buying Hojlund, we’re buying Sancho. These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out.
“For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea and we pay half his wages, we’re paying £17m to buy him in the summer.”
Brazil winger Antony is another on loan, at Spanish club Real Betis, after struggling at Old Trafford following an £81.5m move from Ajax.
Compatriot Casemiro arrived in 2022 in a £70m deal, while Denmark striker Hojlund arrived the following year for £72m.
Cameroon international Onana joined the club in the same summer for £47.2m.
All those players have drawn criticism during their time at the club.
“It takes time for us to move away from the past into a new place in the future,” Ratcliffe said.
When asked whether he was suggesting those players were not good enough for Manchester United, he said: “Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time.
“We’ve got this period of transformation where we move from the past to the future.
“There are some great players in the squad as we know, the captain is a fabulous footballer. We definitely need Bruno, he’s a fantastic footballer.”
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‘Amorim will be there a long time’
Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim was appointed in November following the sacking of Ten Hag.
The change has done little for the side’s fortunes in league table terms – United have lost nine of their 26 games under him and are 36 points behind league leaders and rivals Liverpool.
However a win at home to Real Sociedad this week will see them in the quarter-finals of the Europa League – and a step nearer to possible Champions League qualification, the prize for winning the competition.
And Ratcliffe has given the 40-year-old his unwavering backing.
He said “a long list of injuries” had hampered a coach who arrived mid-season into a tough league and with English as his second language.
“If I actually look at the squad which is available to Ruben, I think he is doing a really good job to be honest,” Ratcliffe said.
“I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do. He’s an excellent manager and I think he will be there for a long time.
“You are beginning to see a glimpse of what Ruben can produce. I think you saw a glimpse of it against Arsenal. How many players against Arsenal on the bench did you recognise? How many have ever worn a Manchester United shirt for [the first team]… as there’s no squad left. We are down to the last 10 or 11 men in the squad really, of proper first-team players. Ruben is doing a super job.”
