According to reports, Manchester United‘s new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group are set to make significant staffing cuts at the club before the start of the 2024-25 season. The Athletic has revealed that United employees were informed on Wednesday that nearly a quarter of the club’s 1,112 employees, around 250 jobs, will be made redundant.
The redundancies are part of a cost-cutting measure advised by the consultancy firm Interpath Advisory. INEOS believes United’s workforce is bloated compared to their Premier League rivals, with Arsenal employing an average of 689 people per month and Manchester City having less than half the number of United’s employees.
By streamlining the workforce, United expect to make savings that will help them comply with the Premier League’s and UEFA’s financial rules, as well as allowing them to be more efficient in the transfer market. This is the latest in a series of cost-cutting moves by Ratcliffe and INEOS since their acquisition of a 25% stake in the club in December.
Previous measures have included senior staff having their club credit cards taken away and employees being required to contribute to travel costs for the FA Cup final in May. Despite these cutbacks, United have recently bolstered their leadership team with the appointment of Dan Ashworth as director of football, who will be tasked with overseeing the club’s recruitment and return to the top of English football.
The planned redundancies at Manchester United are part of INEOS’ efforts to get the club’s spending under control and align its operations with those of its Premier League rivals. While these job cuts may be difficult, the new ownership group believes they are necessary to ensure the club’s long-term financial sustainability and competitiveness.
