Manchester United is undergoing big changes, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team at INEOS take control before the takeover is official – and they have a lot of work to do.
Manchester United are preparing for their Premier League match against Luton on Sunday while remaining very busy behind the scenes.
Erik ten Hag's side have gone on a three-match winning streak that has put them back in the race for a top-four finish. Although Luton have beaten Newcastle and Brighton and drawn with Liverpool at Kenilworth Road, United must be brimming with confidence after their impressive 2-1 win over Aston Villa last weekend.
Meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is close to officially taking control of the club after the Premier League approved his deal for 25 per cent. The INEOS billionaire has already appointed Omar Berrada as chief executive and work continues to try to bring in Dan Ashworth as sporting director from Newcastle. There is a lot to watch for at Old Trafford. But thank God you are in the right place Football mirror I will inform you of all the latest developments here.
Complaints about United loanees
It's fair to say that Hannibal Mejbri's loan spell at Sevilla will not go as planned so far. The 21-year-old midfielder left in January in search of more regular playing time, but it has already turned into something of a nightmare.
He has played just 36 minutes in all competitions for Sevilla, and has fallen out with manager Quique Sanchez Flores, who criticized his attitude after his debut against Girona last month. He said clearly: “We will give him the space necessary to understand where he is, that he is in Seville and what that means.” “He needs to know where he is and we want to see him.”
Sevilla have reportedly received complaints about his behavior and are not keen to activate the clause in their loan deal to sign him permanently for £15m. Hannibal has a contract with United until June 2025, but his career is on hold.
Berbatov issues a cultural warning
United have appointed Perrada and are now targeting Ashworth, as well as Southampton's Jason Wilcox and Brighton's Sam Jewell to overhaul their hierarchy. Former United striker Dimitar Berbatov believes the appointments will be crucial to the success of the INEOS takeover.
“United have chosen Manchester City's chief operating officer and now they want to take on the title of sporting director for Newcastle,” Berbatov told Betfair. “They are trying to strengthen their board. Obviously when you know the type of people who can help the club at manager level, you identify them and try to sign them. Of course, you hope they will change the culture to get the manager's position.” The right decision most of the time.”
Ratcliffe and his colleagues at INEOS, Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc, have significant experience in this area. But there is still a lot of work to do for United to turn things around in the summer.
Ken names the biggest problem
Ratcliffe and whoever he appoints to run United need to address the shock recruitment process that has blighted progress over the past few years, according to Roy Keane. The financial and investment landscape of European clubs in UEFA a report It shows that United's players at the end of the 2023 financial year cost a combined €1.42bn (£1.21bn) in transfer fees, making them the most expensive team of all time.
“The role of scouting has changed dramatically, compared to today, where you had one scout in the north-west, one in Scotland and so on, but with the money available now, it's no surprise that the scouting network has changed,” Keane said. On the Stick to Football podcast: “The way Brighton and Newcastle have gone about their signings is key. Manchester United have faced many problems over the past few years, but recruitment is perhaps the number one thing they get wrong.
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