Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has delivered a candid assessment of the club's current state, declaring that some players are "not good enough" and others are "overpaid" as he attempts to restore the former glory of the Old Trafford outfit.
In a wide-ranging interview with BBC Sport, the 72-year-old billionaire specifically mentioned midfielders Casemiro, striker Rasmus Hojlund, goalkeeper Andre Onana, and wingers Antony and Jadon Sancho – who are currently on loan at other clubs – as players his regime had "inherited" from previous management.
"If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn't buy, we're buying Antony, we're buying Casemiro, we're buying Onana, we're buying Hojlund, we're buying Sancho. These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we've inherited those things and have to sort that out," Ratcliffe explained.
The Ineos chairman, who spent £1.3bn for a 28.94% stake in the club last year, lamented the financial commitments still owed on these players, noting: "For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea and we pay half his wages, we're paying £17m to buy him in the summer."
When directly asked if these players weren't good enough for Manchester United, Ratcliffe was blunt: "Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time."
Despite the club sitting 14th in the Premier League table, Ratcliffe expressed full confidence in current head coach Ruben Amorim, who was appointed in November following Erik ten Hag's dismissal. "I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do. He's an excellent manager and I think he will be there for a long time," Ratcliffe said, adding that injuries and a depleted squad have hampered the Portuguese coach's start.
The billionaire also addressed Marcus Rashford's loan move to Aston Villa, saying he was "pleased" to see the England forward performing well away from Manchester. "He's moved out of Manchester and maybe that's a good thing for him," Ratcliffe noted. "For whatever reason it wasn't working in Manchester for the past couple of seasons. But he is a very talented footballer, Rashford."
Ratcliffe acknowledged making mistakes during his first year at the club, including backing Ten Hag before sacking him months later – a decision that cost around £20m in compensation – and hiring sporting director Dan Ashworth, who left after just five months because the "chemistry" wasn't right.
"I agree the Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth decisions were errors. I think there were some mitigating circumstances, but ultimately they were errors. I accept that and I apologize for that," he admitted.
The interview also revealed the dire financial situation at Old Trafford, with Ratcliffe disclosing that "Manchester United would have run out of cash by the end of this year – by the end of 2025 – after having me put $300m (£232.72m) in and if we buy no new players in the summer."
This financial reality has forced unpopular decisions, including ticket price increases affecting under-16s and pensioners, hundreds of redundancies, and the removal of free lunches for staff. These measures have soured relations with some supporters, with protests against the ownership occurring just a day before the interview.
"I recognize I'm unpopular at the moment – but I am prepared to be, and I can deal with being unpopular for a period of time because I believe that what we're doing is the right thing," Ratcliffe said. "Manchester United has come off the rails – we need to get it back on the rails, and I believe what we are doing will put it back on the rails."
Despite these challenges, Ratcliffe maintained his ambitious target of winning the Premier League by 2028 – the club's 150th anniversary. "I don't think it's mission impossible," he said, comparing United's situation to Arsenal and Liverpool's rebuilding periods.
The club is also expected to announce plans for "the most iconic football stadium in the world" to replace the existing Old Trafford as part of a wider regeneration scheme, with an announcement due on Tuesday.
Ratcliffe concluded with a bold prediction: "The club's going to finish up in a very very different place in three years' time to where its been in the past, in my view. I think it will become the most profitable club in the world. I think we may well finish up with the most iconic football stadium in the world, and I think we will finish up winning silverware again."
