The Glazers reportedly ‘did not want’ Manchester United to win trophies due to the bonuses that they would be forced to pay players. Serious changes are expected for the Red Devils over the coming 12 months, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to make his mark on his boyhood side.
After over a year of speculation, it was confirmed in December that Ratcliffe had acquired a 25 per cent stake in United, having failed to complete a full purchase of the club. The INEOS owner will work alongside the Glazers to try and raise the standards both on the pitch and behind the scenes, with the 71-year-old predominantly focusing on the footballing side of the business.
Ratcliffe is expected to orchestrate a major reshuffle at Old Trafford during the summer transfer window, with marquee signings anticipated and fringe stars set to be offloaded to create space for fresh faces. A cut-throat approach is anticipated, with reports previously speculating that Erik ten Hag could be one of the first on the chopping block at the Theatre of Dreams.
Given how United have significantly underperformed over the past few years despite immense investment in new signings, the news of drastic changes at Old Trafford will be music to the ears of supporters.
Ratcliffe will be keen to change the mentality of United within the team and in the boardroom, and the size of his task has been underlined by a recent report from ESPN. Sources told the news outlet that the Red Devils’ struggles began in 2009 when Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo were sold for mammoth fees and not replaced adequately.
Antonio Valencia, Gabriel Obertan, Michael Owen and Mame Biram Diouf were signed to try and fill the void left by the departures, which raised eyebrows internally. However, the Glazers were said to not be fearful of the consequences as they ‘did not want to win trophies’.
A member of staff at United told ESPN: “United won nothing the year after Ronaldo and Tevez left. But the word around the club was that the Glazers weren’t too concerned because no trophies meant they didn’t have to pay big bonuses to the players.
