After taking charge of football operations at Manchester United earlier this year, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team have created quite the impression.
Sir Jim did not bother pitching up at the women’s FA Cup final, which his team won, and announced plans to lay off club staff. The Monte Carlo-dwelling tax exile told those who were remaining in employment to get themselves into the office and stop this work-from-home business.
Oh, yes, and, apparently, Monaco Jim wants UK taxpayers to dig deep for a new stadium because Old Trafford is leaky and decrepit.
Ratcliffe was warmer to Pep Guardiola than he was to Erik ten Hag after United somehow beat Manchester City to win the men’s FA Cup, and then interviewed other managers before deciding he was going to stick with the Dutchman. All in all, deeply unimpressive stuff but it is time to give credit where credit is due.
If you are a Manchester United fan, take heart.
It is relatively early in the summer and United are getting things done. Ten Hag might have complained about the way they played in a friendly in Norway the other night but the look of United’s business over these past couple of weeks has been impressive.
Decisions have been made and acted on. It is impossible to be remotely positive about any deal that involves Mason Greenwood - no wonder Marseille fans are protesting - but, if you hold your nose, in excess of £20million is useful. Tainted but useful.
With Ten Hag and Sancho seemingly burying the hatchet - although you suspect it was a Ratcliffe-inspired peace initiative that is mainly a commercial move - United have a talented 24-year-old back and available for selection. Let’s see what the new coaching set-up makes of Sancho, in particular Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is a fascinating addition to Ten Hag’s backroom operation.
Image:
Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)Overseeing that backroom operation is sporting director Dan Ashworth and it is clear the former Newcastle United employee is having an instant impact, as is new chief executive officer Omar Berrada, who started work last Saturday.
Joshua Zirkzee is an intriguing signing from Bologna and 18-year-old Leny Yoro is seen by many expert watchers of French football as a generational talent.
If United can complete a £60million move for Paris Saint Germain’s defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte then it will already have been a statement transfer window for the club. And you suspect there would be more to come.
This, don’t forget, is a club that does not have Champions League football next season. This is a club that had a negative goal difference in the Premier League last season. This is a club that finished eighth.
But this is a project that people are willing to buy into - and to be bought into.
Image:
X/Manchester United)Ashworth, Berrada, Jason Wilcox, Van Nistelrooy, and others. Zirkzee, Yoro, and others to follow.
The FA Cup final aside, United were, generally, a painful watch last season. But they are still Manchester United.
The club still has immense pulling power and, with Ratcliffe on board, increased financial power.
It remains to be seen whether Ten Hag really is the man to get United back into the Premier League’s and Europe’s elite cabals. But if you are a United supporter this summer, you have every reason to feel more optimistic than you have done for some considerable time.
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