Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said Manchester United will have to make “difficult and unpopular decisions” if they want to regain their place at the top of English and European football.
Ratcliffe bought a 27.7% stake in United earlier this year and later said he wanted to break Manchester City and Liverpool’s recent dominance. However, it has proven to be a difficult year at Old Trafford, with manager Erik ten Hag sacked after the side finished below their worst Premier League performance last season.
Manchester United have rebounded slightly under new manager Ruben Amorim, but remain bottom of the Premier League.
In an interview with club fanzine United We Stand, Ratcliffe described United’s existing state as “mediocre”.
“Manchester United have become ordinary,” he said. “We expect to be one of the best football clubs in the world.
“We have to make difficult and unpopular decisions. If we avoid difficult decisions, nothing will change.”
United made almost a quarter of the club’s workforce redundant in the summer, with the money saved being used to improve performance on the pitch. The club also announced that Sir Alex Ferguson would end his role as an ambassador for the club, having held the position for more than 25 years since his retirement in 2013.
