After years of being run like a money-minting machine by the Glazers with little focus on the sporting and infrastructure side, things could be about to change very soon.
After more than a year, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is close to acquiring a minority stake of 25 percent and will reportedly handle sporting affairs at the club.
The Premier League ratification process might take up to two months during which the INEOS chairman won’t be able to pump in funds for manager Erik ten Hag to use.
Ratcliffe planning many changes
But once he does come in, a lot of changes behind the scenes are expected as the British billionaire tries to complete a hard reset of the club which has been stuck in limbo for quite some time.
One of the most disappointing aspects in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson period has been their dismal transfer activity with United hardly ever buying smartly and rarely earning a profit on their sales.
Club CEO Richard Arnold is set to step down with an interim CEO to be in place and The Manchester Evening News have revealed that Football director John Murtough is also “definitely going”.
“Manchester United are planning to replace John Murtough as football director as part of sweeping changes amid impending investment from the Ineos Group.
“A well-placed source says that Murtough is “definitely going” amid a preference for a new figurehead for the football department.”
Murtough, who became the club’s first-ever Football director, has overseen a rather dismal few transfer windows with United splurging the cash but not receiving bang for their buck.
Long-drawn-out negotiations which see United mostly overpay have been synonymous with Murtough’s handling of transfer affairs and Ratcliffe will no doubt want to change that.
Murtough in danger of losing job
Former Tottenham and Monaco director of football Paul Mitchell, Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman, Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta, Atalanta’s Lee Congerton, and even former AC Milan legend Paulo Maldini have been mentioned as potential candidates to replace Murtough.
INEOS sporting head Sir Dave Brailsford has been spotted visiting Carrington in a bid to understand how to improve the club’s structure and there have been reports indicating Ratcliffe has been holding virtual meetings with the Glazers in a bid to change the club hierarchy.
The Peoples Person recently reported that so unimpressed has the INEOS chairman been with United’s strategy and how far they have fallen below their rivals that even Darren Fletcher, who is currently the technical director, is also in danger of losing his job.