Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has criticized some of the club’s underperforming players, calling them “not good enough” and “probably overpaid.” Ratcliffe shared his blunt assessment after a disappointing start to his tenure at Old Trafford, where he took charge of football operations in February last year.
The British billionaire singled out Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho, and Antony as key sources of frustration. Sancho and Antony are currently on loan at Chelsea and Real Betis, respectively, following underwhelming performances at United.
Ratcliffe, who co-owns the club with the Glazer family, highlighted the financial burden of paying transfer fees for out-of-form players. He told the BBC (via Gulf News): “If you look at the players we’re still paying for Antony, Casemiro, Onana, Hojlund, Sancho; these are all deals from the past. Whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited these issues and have to fix them. For example, Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea, we’re still paying half his wages and £17 million for his transfer this summer.”
When asked if he believed these players weren’t good enough for United, Ratcliffe replied, “Some are not good enough, and some are probably overpaid. But reshaping the squad into one we’re fully responsible for and accountable for will take time.”
Last season, United finished eighth in the Premier League but won the FA Cup. Despite the team’s inconsistent form, Ratcliffe and his advisors initially decided to keep manager Erik ten Hag. However, Ten Hag was sacked in October after another poor run and replaced by Ruben Amorim.
Ratcliffe admitted that sticking with Ten Hag was a mistake, as was the decision to hire Dan Ashworth as sporting director. Ashworth left the role after just five months in December. “I agree that the decisions regarding Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth were errors,” Ratcliffe said. “There were some mitigating circumstances, but ultimately, they were mistakes. I accept that and apologize for it.”
Despite United’s struggles under Amorim, with the team currently sitting 14th in the Premier League, Ratcliffe expressed confidence in the former Sporting Lisbon manager. “If I look at the squad available to Ruben, I think he’s doing a really good job, to be honest,” he said. “Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I truly believe he’s excellent and will be with us for a long time.”
