Evaluating coach Erik ten Hag and reforming the squad are important things billionaire Jim Ratcliffe needs to do after taking power at Man Utd.
For the first time in 18 years, the Glazer family no longer has the biggest voice in Man Utd’s football-related affairs. After buying 25% of the team’s shares for about 1.3 billion USD, Ratcliffe took control of the first team, youth teams and academy. However, as the 71-year-old billionaire said, the work ahead with the “Red Devils” still has many difficulties and challenges.
The most obvious issue for Britain’s richest man is dealing with the future of Ten Hag. Before Ratcliffe reached an agreement with Glazer, the old team did not want to make any big decisions with the Dutch coach. But Ten Hag’s future is no longer guaranteed after the INEOS boss appeared at Old Trafford.
During three years of owning Nice Club in France, Ratcliffe appointed five coaches, including names like Patrick Vieira, Christophe Galtier or Lucien Favre. Most of them were fired by the team because of bad results, and that is not good news for Ten Hag.
Man Utd lost half of the 26 matches played in all competitions this season, ranked bottom in the Champions League, were eliminated from European cups, stopped in the League Cup, and only scored more goals than the bottom team. in the Premier League. If the team’s results do not improve in the next few matches, the 53-year-old coach may have to leave even though he still has a contract until the summer of 2025.
However, it is likely that Ratcliffe will not do anything until a new sporting director is appointed. INEOS Sports Director Dave Brailsford and former PSG General Director Jean-Claude Blanc will join Man Utd, on the team’s sports activities board. They still need a sports director, replacing the current role of John Murtough.
Dan Ashworth is a candidate for the position of Sports Director of Man Utd, although Paul Mitchell was rumored before. The problem is that Ashworth is doing the same job at Newcastle, and Ratcliffe may have to pay him a break from his contract. The Sports Director will handle tasks such as buying and selling players, or selecting coaches. Of course, the athletic director’s big decisions need to be approved by the board, and Ratcliffe has the final say.
Even with the appointment of a new Sports Director, Man Utd will hardly be able to actively participate in the January 2024 transfer window. The team is having problems with financial fairness laws, after spending more than 500 million USD to buy players during the Ten Hag era. In the opposite direction, the team cannot sell any players at high prices to compensate for losses.
Man Utd is almost certain to transfer midfielder Donny van de Beek to Eintracht Frankfurt until the end of the season. In addition, there is no sign that the team will change their squad next month. However, fans still expect the first quality contract under the Ratcliffe reign.