Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to target wage bill reduction for Manchester United plan

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Having completed a deal to acquire 25% of Manchester United for a $1.3bn (£1.02bn) sum on Christmas Eve, oversight on football matters at Old Trafford now belongs to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS sports team.

Ever since the deal was rubber stamped, INEOS director of sport, and former British Cycling chief, Sir Dave Brailsford has been a regular fixture at United games, watching on from the stands as manager Erik ten Hag continues to try and ignite a season that has so far failed to spark.

The Glazer family’s ownership of the club has been deeply unpopular ever since they acquired control of the club back in 2005, with hundreds of millions of pounds worth of debt piled on the football club, while investment into the infrastructure and the Old Trafford stadium has been severely lacking during a period where their rivals have invested heavily in such areas, closing the revenue gap and even, in the case of the likes of Liverpool, surpassing it. READ MORE: Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is dividing opinion among fans READ MORE: Manchester United weighing up possible loan departures in transfer window There has been, however, investment in the transfer market at significant levels.

The problem is that with no clear and defined strategy for the football side of the club, and a succession of managers with differing styles and ideas, has led to a constant churn when it comes to players, and a transfer approach that has not yielded competitive or financial success.