In a bombshell interview, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the 72-year-old minority owner of Manchester United, has heavily criticized the club, dubbing it as “mediocre” and no longer “elite.”
Ratcliffe, who owns a 27.7% stake in the club after spending £1.3 billion, said United “has become mediocre” and is “not supposed to be one of the best football clubs in the world.” He stated that the club “has drifted for a long period of time, a decade or so.”
The petrochemicals billionaire cited the club’s “very poor” data analysis and recruitment as major issues, saying United is “still in the last century on data analysis” compared to their rivals.
Ratcliffe said the club needs to have “the best recruitment in the world” to achieve “elite status” again.
Signings like the £82 million spent on Antony and the £70 million on Casemiro have been held up by Ineos as examples of United’s flawed recruitment strategy. Ratcliffe suggested the rebuild will “take years” to fix.
The minority owner’s comments come as United have struggled on the pitch, with new manager Ruben Amorim facing a huge task to turn the club around. Ratcliffe warned fans that “major change” is required for United to regain their elite status.
