Manchester United's cost-cutting measures under Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS regime have taken a stark turn, with staff at the club's Carrington training ground now limited to soup and sandwiches for lunch. While players remain exempt from these dietary restrictions, coaches and analysts must adapt to the reduced menu options, according to The Sun.
The austerity measures extend beyond the dining room, as matchday workers at Old Trafford have already seen their complimentary lunchboxes discontinued. In a particularly controversial move, the club's Under-18 team was denied the opportunity to play their FA Youth Cup match against Chelsea at Old Trafford, instead being relegated to their regular venue at Leigh Sports Village - a decision that saved the club approximately £8,000 but deprived young talents of valuable experience at the historic stadium. This stands in contrast to past youth prospects like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who benefited from playing at Old Trafford during their 2022 FA Youth Cup triumph.
The financial squeeze comes amid troubling times for the club, which reported a significant loss of £27.7 million ($35m) in the final quarter of 2024. Ratcliffe's tenure has already seen 250 staff redundancies, with plans to cut up to 200 more positions in the near future. The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) has openly criticized the club's financial management, particularly highlighting the costly decisions to extend Erik ten Hag's contract only to terminate it four months later, and the brief five-month tenure of Dan Ashworth from Newcastle.
United's financial challenges show no signs of improvement as they currently languish in 15th place in the Premier League, separated from West Ham in 16th only by goal difference. With Ruben Amorim's side set to face relegation-threatened Ipswich Town, the club's position in the prize money standings could further deteriorate, adding to the financial pressures that have led to these widespread cost-cutting measures.
