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“I saw a man”: Club legend cannot stop gushing over United wonderkid who showed a lot of pride vs Arsenal

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“I saw a man”: Club legend cannot stop gushing over United wonderkid who showed a lot of pride vs Arsenal

Manchester United produced a fighting display to grab a point from their Premier League game against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday even though many had predicted an easy win for the North London side.

Ruben Amorim had said prior to the game that his team needed to survive but they did more than that in the second half and should have claimed all three points but for some brilliant goalkeeping from David Raya.

The head coach will also be pleased with the performance on his Premier League debut for the club by Ayden Heaven, who signed for the Red Devils from the Gunners in January.

Playing against his former club will not have been easy for the 18-year-old, especially when coming on for the reliable Leny Yoro in the second half.

Impressive cameo again

But he more than held his own as seen from the stats. The left-footed centre-back was not dribbled past once and completed a 100% of his tackles.

The former Arsenal man also made three clearances and club legend Rio Ferdinand was impressed with what he saw (all stats via sofascore).

Speaking Rio Ferdinand Presents’ YouTube channel, the former England star explained how Heaven showed pride in his display while also terming his decision to leave North London for Manchester as the right one.

Rio full of praise

“I saw a good attitude because I saw a man looking like, ‘I ain’t going to let Arsenal beat me today.’ There’s a pride, isn’t it because when you go to your old club, it’s quite an emotional thing and there’s a lot of pressure that comes with that.

“You’ve got to prove now why I’m here and I’ve left you lot and I’m playing first-team now, this is why. So, that’s a big pressure and I thought he handled it really well. I think the manager’s comments saying that he’s sometimes almost too comfortable but I really like it and really positive about him will be really great for his confidence.

“I think he’s been justified going to Man United at this point because he’s playing right now. Long term, I don’t know, long term, we don’t know.”

Whether Amorim now trusts him with a start, especially if Yoro and Harry Maguire fail to recover in time for Thursday’s all-important Europa League game, remains to be seen.

But as also seen from his impressive cameo against Fulham in the FA Cup, Heaven has shown he is ready to impact games for the 20-time English league champions.

Feature image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images

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Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

United face fresh contender in race for 20-goal striker to transform misfiring frontline – report

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United face fresh contender in race for 20-goal striker to transform misfiring frontline – report

Manchester United will have to act quickly to secure the signature of Samu Aghehowa after Arsenal added the Porto star to their shortlist of strikers for the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Red Devils and the Gunners ground out a 1-1 draw on Sunday which laid bare both sides’ need for a centre-forward, and the long-term United target has now popped up on Mikel Arteta’s radar.

Spanish outlet Fichajes claim that Aghehowa has been added to Arsenal’s list of seven potential reinforcements for their forward line, which could spell bad news for Ruben Amorim.

The United boss was lucky enough to work with the prolific Viktor Gyökeres in his previous job at Sporting CF, where the Swede has netted 39 times in 40 games so far this season.

But he is now relying on Rasmus Hojlund as his only out-and-out senior striker, with Joshua Zirkzee, despite starting to find some form, showing more and more that his strengths don’t lie as a potent goalscorer.

He has six goals from 42 matches this season, while the Dane is deep in a goal drought having last netted in December against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League.

It was in that competition where United got their first taste of the power and precision of Aghehowa, who bullied their centre-backs in the thrilling 3-3 draw at the Estádio do Dragão.

He scored twice in that match and so far has 18 more goals in all competitions for Porto, who currently sit third in the Liga Portugal.

It’s therefore no surprise to learn that the Red Devils are not his only Premier League suitors – Fichajes report that “several” sides from the English top flight are interested in the player.

These teams are thought to include Newcastle United and Aston Villa, while Chelsea were frustrated in a well-documented pursuit of the striker last summer as he eventually opted to join Porto.

Amorim’s top-shelf choices for a new centre-forward seem to be Gyökeres and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, who is currently out on loan at Galatasaray.

But recent reports suggest that United may turn to Aghehowa instead of the free-scoring Nigerian, seeing him as a more attainable option.

However the Old Trafford outfit approach the summer they are sure to bring in a goalscorer and could do a lot worse than the Porto man, but if Arsenal’s interest is genuine they may have a fight on their hands to bring him on board.

Featured image Octavio Passos via Getty Images

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Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.

“Announcement expected tomorrow”: United set to deliver groundbreaking news within next 24 hours – report

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“Announcement expected tomorrow”: United set to deliver groundbreaking news within next 24 hours – report

Manchester United have reportedly made the decision to build a brand new 100,000-seater stadium, with an official announcement expected on Tuesday.

United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made no secret of his desire to construct a new iconic stadium.

Soon after Ratcliffe completed his minority investment in United, a taskforce was set up to examine whether the club should refurbish Old Trafford or build a new state-of-the-art replacement on adjoining land. The latter option has always been the preferred idea but a final decision had yet to be made.

Now, Alex Crook of talkSPORT has revealed that a decision has been made and an announcement is imminent.

Crook wrote on X, “Announcement expected tomorrow that Manchester United have decided to build a brand new 100,000-seater stadium.”

This information has been reiterated by The Athletic, who state, “United are expected to announce their decision on Tuesday. Sources, speaking anonymously in order to protect relationships, have told The Athletic the club has chosen to pursue a new-build, 100,000-seater stadium rather than redevelop the existing Old Trafford.”

A new stadium is expected to cost United around £2bn and it remains unclear how this project will be funded.

On Monday, Ratcliffe sat down with The Times and said, “I think it is financeable. But key to it is being part of the government regeneration project for southern Manchester which, you know, [chancellor] Rachel Reeves has talked about as one of those three major planks of their growth strategy.”

“We’re not going to ask the government for any money to build the ground but we can’t afford to do all of the other stuff around it.”

“But we want an iconic stadium and I would like to do think those billion fans around the world will all want to come to Manchester and see it, which will create value for the club and the north economy. If you look at Oxford Economics they estimate £7billion per annum.”

Ratcliffe also had a chat with Gary Neville and added, “It’s definitely deliverable but I think it needs to be set in context again.”

“It’s the greatest football club in the world. Then if it’s going to build a new stadium it should be a new stadium that’s befitting the greatest club in the world and also a stadium that befits the greatest league in the world. Because the Premier League is the greatest league in the world.”

“And at the moment, if you look at the Premier League, we’ve got some great stadiums but we don’t have a Bernabeu and we don’t have a Nou Camp, we don’t have that in the Premier League, although it’s the greatest league in the world.”

“And also, if you look at the north of England, the north of England has won 10 Champions League finals and London has won two. So there’s quite a few reasons there to have the world’s most iconic football stadium in the north of England and at the world’s greatest club.”

“I won’t say much more but Norman Foster, who also is a Mancunian and is the world’s greatest architect in my view, has really created the most iconic – well you’ve seen it (the design) – absolutely incredible.”

“It would be marvellous if Manchester United could go down that road and in five years’ time or six years’ time and have that stadium.”

Echo claim that Lord Sebastian Coe – who chairs the Old Trafford task force – is expected to speak alongside Ratcliffe at a stadium project update held in London on Tuesday.

Presumably, this is where the announcement will be made.

Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images

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Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

United plotting sensational summer swoop for “incredible” 22yo who fits Amorim’s system like a glove – report

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United plotting sensational summer swoop for “incredible” 22yo who fits Amorim’s system like a glove – report

Ruben Amorim is clearly not impressed with the players at his disposal and wants the Manchester United owners to go out and recruit smartly in the summer.

Midfield is a major problem with Kobbie Mainoo reportedly set to depart while both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are unlikely to be at the club beyond the summer.

Given Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte’s absence, Bruno Fernandes has been forced to play in a deep-lying playmaker role but the head coach wants him to return to playing as an attacking midfielder from next season.

Which is why the club have drawn up a list of targets which includes the likes of Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and Atalanta ace Ederson.

Midfield targets

However, all three are also being chased by numerous top clubs and will cost a significant sum of money, something INEOS might not be in a position to pay given the club’s current financial condition.

Which is why, as revealed by Givemesport, they have lined up Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney as a backup should they fail to land one of their intended targets.

The 22-year-old, described as “incredible“, he excels as a defensive midfielder but can also play further forward if required.

While Boro would ideally like to hold on to him for a bit longer, they will be powerless to stop the England U21 international from leaving if they cannot win promotion to the Premier League this season.

Currently, they are languishing in 10th position and United are ready to take advantage of their situation with a summer offer. Interestingly, Palace are in the lead as they are trying to find a replacement for Wharton, who is also on Real Madrid’s radar.

“Manchester United could make a move to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney if they fail to land some of their premium targets, while Crystal Palace are also interested, according to GIVEMESPORT sources.

Hackney, the perfect backup option

“Boro are expected to cash in on Hackney, who has been described as ‘incredible’, in the summer transfer window after a disappointing season, which sees them unlikely to gain promotion to the Premier League.

“GIVEMESPORT sources have confirmed that United could reignite their interest in the English midfielder. United are prioritising midfield reinforcements to allow Bruno Fernandes to return to a more advanced role next season.”

Hackney has a deal with Boro until 2027 and has a market value of €8 million. Whether United prioritise a deal for him in the summer or go after a high-value target remains to be seen.

He fits Amorim’s needs given he is currently in the 98th percentile for progressive passes and 95th percentile for progressive carries, which shows his ability with the ball (via fbref).

Amorim also wants a new striker as well as wingback while the goalkeeping situation is also something the head coach wants to address.

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Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

“Alarmed” Amorim crafts new surprise fix for huge problem that has hurt United all season – report

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“Alarmed” Amorim crafts new surprise fix for huge problem that has hurt United all season – report

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has reportedly devised a fresh fix to resolve his side’s slow starts at Old Trafford – swapping ends.

United’s home form has been woeful all season, with the team especially struggling to score goals in the first half of matches.

Before last month’s 3-2 win over Ipswich Town, United had managed just one first-half goal in their previous seven home games—a Bruno Fernandes penalty against Brighton and Hove Albion. That spot-kick also stood as their only first-half goal across 17 consecutive matches in all competitions.

After Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal, club legend Gary Neville claimed that the United players don’t like playing at Old Trafford.

The former defender insisted that Amorim’s men wither in front of their supporters as there’s an increased demand to come up with the goods.

In his post-match press conference, Amorim also acknowledged that there is a difficulty when playing at Old Trafford.

Now, Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic has revealed that United have attempted to improve their fortunes at the Theatre of Dreams by making teams swap ends at kick-off.

Traditionally, United warm up at the Stretford End and prefer to attack that end in the second half, aiming to finish matches on a strong note.

However, in the last three home games, Fernandes has won the pre-match coin toss and asked for the teams to swap ends, so he and his teammates attack the Stretford End during the opening 45 minutes.

According to Whitwell, “The chief instigator of the change is head coach Ruben Amorim, who has been alarmed at his side’s record at Old Trafford, especially in first halves, and is looking at ways of shifting momentum and starting games quicker.”

“United changing ends to start matches is seen by those in the team as a good way of disrupting the opposition as well as changing their own luck.”

As the report notes, the change seems to have sparked a reaction. United came back after Ipswich took the lead, scoring twice before the interval.

Fernandes also gave United the edge just before half-time on Sunday against Arsenal with a brilliant free-kick.

United will certainly be hoping for more luck on Thursday when they welcome Real Sociedad at Old Trafford for the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 fixture.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

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Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

Scholes still has no idea what ‘disappointing’ Man Utd star ‘brings to the team’

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Scholes still has no idea what ‘disappointing’ Man Utd star ‘brings to the team’

Paul Scholes is still unsure what Joshua Zirkzee brings to the Man Utd team after they drew 1-1 with Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Red Devils took the lead against the run of play on the stroke of half-time with Bruno Fernandes converting a wonderful free-kick to put Ruben Amorim’s team ahead at the interval.

A wonderful finish from the edge of the box from Declan Rice saw second-placed Arsenal level with 16 minutes left on the clock but neither side could get a winner.

Man Utd had a number of very good chances in the second half to make sure they took all three points but they failed to convert.

Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund have taken plenty of criticism this season with duo scoring just five Premier League goals between them.

Netherlands international Zirkzee did score the Man Utd goal in a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad in midweek but, after watching the Dutchman against Arsenal, Man Utd legend Scholes remains unconvinced by the striker.

After the match, Scholes told Premier League Productions: “Both teams are in desperate need of a striker.

“Zirkzee I thought was a little bit disappointing today. I’m not sure he’s a number nine or a number ten.

“I’m not really sure what Zirkzee brings to the team. Rasmus Hojlund is obviously still having his issues but both teams are crying out for attacking players.”

MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
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Fernandes was the hero again at Old Trafford on Sunday and Man Utd boss Amorim wants the rest of his players to be more like the Portugal international.

Amorim said: “I think any coach when he wants to bring players, he expects the best, but sometimes they have to adapt and sometimes you have luck with the character of the player or not.

“Even with all the investigation that all the coaches do before signing players. What I can say is that we need more Brunos. That is clear.

“Not just the quality, the character, not some mistakes, but the character that he has, the availability in this league, is so important and he’s so decisive with the ball and without the ball.”

And Amorim thought his side were unlucky not to beat Arsenal, the Man Utd boss added: “If you look at the chances and then look at the game, Arsenal had more possession, but we try to play the game in a low block.

“So it’s hard to say that we deserve it as Arsenal also tried to win the game. But, if you look at the chances, I think we were quite close to winning the game. David Raya did really well to defend his goal and, sometimes, if the ball is 10 centimetres a little bit to the side, it can change a game.

“We were waiting for a mistake from the opponents, but we tried to win the game. We tried to find a way to beat a very good team and showed that today.”

Chelsea plot shock ‘sale’ with Man Utd star as replacement amid one ‘concern’ with ‘preference’ revealed

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Chelsea plot shock ‘sale’ with Man Utd star as replacement amid one ‘concern’ with ‘preference’ revealed

According to reports, Chelsea are ‘preparing to step up their efforts’ to sign Manchester United academy product Kobbie Mainoo.

The England international enjoyed a sensational breakout season for Man Utd during the 2023/24 campaign as he was a shining light for his boyhood club.

Mainoo grabbed five goals and three assists for the Red Devils before he shone for England at last summer’s European Championships.

The centre-midfielder has endured a stop-start season in 2024/25 as he’s only made 15 Premier League starts and he was heavily linked with a shock exit in January.

Man Utd – second in our Premier League net spend table – are strapped for cash and need to sell pricey assets to raise funds for a major squad rebuild under head coach Ruben Amorim. Their poor performances this season leave most of their squad at risk of being offloaded and Mainoo would be a pure profit sale.

READ: 16 Conclusions on Man United 1-1 Arsenal: Arteta’s obsession, Amorim’s compromise and Neville’s wall

The Red Devils reportedly asked for around £70m for their academy product in January, and Chelsea were in talks with their Premier League rivals over a move that did not end up going through.

Still, Mainoo could still leave Man Utd this summer and a report from Caught Offside claims Chelsea are ‘eyeing’ the midfielder as they considers ‘selling’ Romeo Lavia.

The Blues have reportedly ‘cast doubts’ over Lavia as they are ‘concerned’ about his injury record and they are ‘preparing to step up their pursuit’ of Mainoo.

‘Mainoo has been engaged in talks with the Red Devils over a contract renewal, but so far, the two parties have not been able to agree on terms. Despite his rapid rise, he remains one of the lowest-paid members of the squad, earning just £20,000 per week.

MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Scholes still has no idea what ‘disappointing’ Man Utd star ‘brings to the team’
👉 Xavi ‘wants to take two’ Barcelona players on his ‘new adventure’ at Man Utd
👉 Premier League prize money calculated: Manchester United unfairly high in earnings table

‘His representatives are pushing for a significant pay rise to around £180,000 per week, which is an increase that could complicate Man United’s efforts to keep him, especially with Financial Fair Play restrictions looming.

‘Chelsea, meanwhile, are keeping a close eye on the situation, as they did over the summer – and particularly given their concerns over Lavia.’

The report has also commented on Mainoo’s transfer ‘preference’.

‘A move wouldn’t be straightforward. As has been reported elsewhere, his wage demands would put him in line with Cole Palmer in Chelsea’s pay structure.

‘Mainoo, who turns 20 in April, has two years remaining on his current contract. While Man United value the England international at around £75 million, they could be willing to cash in if the right offer arrives.

‘Negotiations over a new contract have been ongoing for some time, but no agreement has been reached.

‘Mainoo’s preference would be a move to Spain or Italy, rather than a Premier League club. But if Chelsea were to meet his wage demands, it’s thought a breakthrough could be reached.’

Ratcliffe delivers exciting United transfer news ahead of summer window, it’s music to Amorim’s ears

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Ratcliffe delivers exciting United transfer news ahead of summer window, it’s music to Amorim’s ears

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has strongly suggested Ruben Amorim will have money to spend on bolstering his squad during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Since his arrival in November last year as Erik ten Hag’s replacement, Amorim has struggled to get a good chunk of the players to get used to his preferred 3-4-3 formation.

There have been calls for Amorim to ditch his football philosophy in favour of an approach that suits the players at his current disposal but he has resisted so far, insisting on multiple occasions that he will not compromise on his principles.

There is a general acceptance both within the club and across the fanbase that Amorim requires players who are able to carry out his instructions fully.

However, with United in dire financial shape, there has been speculation that the Portuguese coach may not have the luxury of a substantial budget, unlike his predecessors at Old Trafford. Having lost £300m in the past three years, Ratcliffe has implemented a number of cost-cutting measures including making hundreds of staff redundant, slashing salaries for club ambassadors and cancelling free lunches, to name a few.

According to Ratcliffe – who sat down with The Times – these cuts are likely to translate into Amorim having enough money to reinforce his ranks ahead of next season.

Ratcliffe said, “This summer we will ‘buy’ Antony, Sancho, Casemiro, Martinez, Hojlund and Onana and they’re all about 17 million quid each. Because that’s what is outstanding. If we buy nobody else we’re buying those players.”

“But it will be a very profitable club. We believe that in three years’ time it will be the most profitable football club in the world. And it will be in a very, very different place. But we need to go through the change. Nobody likes change.”

“When you run out of cash in a business, you go and talk to the insolvency guys. In reality what you do is you go and raise some more money. You go and talk to the banks and try to renegotiate with the banks. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.”

“But that’s our job, isn’t it? You’ve got to look forward. You’re walking towards problems, so you get it sorted out. And we will sort it out.”

Asked whether United will be able to spend money while complying with financial regulations, Amorim answered, “The changes that we’ve made over this season, plus the ones that have been announced recently (more redundancies), will put us in a position to be able to do that.”

“At Ineos we run a lean organisation. As my mother said, you look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves. We can sound flippant about free lunches but if you give all these perks, first class train fares, free taxis, it’s not coherent. It goes bust at Christmas.”

“We’ve made some really tough decisions and now we’re seeing staff understanding what we’re trying to do. There’s a clear vision of what we’re trying to achieve.”

Amorim and his players are back in action on Thursday when they face Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 fixture.

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Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

“It’s gone off the rails a long way”: Sir Jim Ratcliffe accuses Glazers of “losing control” amongst a “forest of numbers”

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“It’s gone off the rails a long way”: Sir Jim Ratcliffe accuses Glazers of “losing control” amongst a “forest of numbers”

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has seemingly taken a swipe at the Glazers, blaming them for the club’s current financial woes.

Ratcliffe purchased a minority stake in United last year and as part of the agreement with the Glazer family, the British businessman assumed operational control of the club.

Since then, Ratcliffe has gone about implementing a raft of cost-cutting measures in a bid to return the Red Devils to profitability – some of which have proven extremely unpopular.

Last summer, around 250 staff were made redundant and recently, the club announced hundreds more will be axed over the next few weeks. Ratcliffe also cancelled cup final perks for employees, slashed the salaries of club ambassadors, terminated Sir Alex Ferguson’s lucrative contract and ended free lunches for staff.

United reported a net loss of £113m in their latest accounts and they have lost more than £300m over the past three years.

A large part of United’s fanbase has consistently and rightly blamed the Glazers for the club’s dire financial shape after years of mismanagement and poor recruitment. Before the team’s meeting with Arsenal on Sunday, supporters staged a massive anti-Glazer protest, calling on them to permanently part ways with the 20-time English champions.

Ratcliffe sat down with The Times and addressed the financial challenges currently crippling United.

Asked whether his first year at Old Trafford has been difficult or challenging, he answered, “Both I suppose. I mean, I don’t think we thought it was going to be a walk in the park. Because obviously, it was after 12 difficult seasons. It takes a while to get your arms around what the scale of the problems are and what the actual problems are.”

On if the business task at hand is one of the toughest he has ever faced, he replied, “Yeah, I think it is. Manchester United is a lot more than a business. It’s also a very emotional entity.”

“But if you think about Manchester United as a business, it’s gone off the rails. It’s gone off the rails a long way, really.”

“If you look at the numbers, the numbers were fairly scary, really. Because they’d sort of lost control, I think, of where the ship was headed. And the costs had got out of control. If you think of it in really simple terms, you’ve got the operating costs, which are all the staff and the fixed costs of running the business. And then you’ve got all the squad costs, player salaries and player purchases.”

“In super simple terms, the club has been spending more money than it’s been earning now for the last seven years, and it ends in a very difficult place. And for Manchester United, that place ended at the end of this year, the end of 2025, with the club running out of cash.”

“I think it’s the first time we’ve probably said that in public, but that’s the fact of the matter.” Asked to clarify this, he continued, “There’s no money left in the club. And that is after my 300 million.”

On whether they couldn’t see these projections before buying their stake, Ratcliffe pointed out, “No, it wasn’t as crystal clear as that. There’s a sort of forest of numbers at Manchester United. And in football there are variables. If you get into the Champions League, it’s one thing. If you don’t get in the Champions League, you get in the Europa League, it’s a different thing.”

“If you get in the Conference League, it’s a different thing again. If you come fourth in the Premier League, it’s one thing. If you come 14th in the Premier League, it’s a very different thing. It is a forest of numbers that you have to walk through. And it takes time before you get absolute clarity.”

“You look at the period of time the club’s been losing money, and yet the head count increased by 250 people. So you’re going through this period where you’re losing lots of money and at the same time you’re recruiting heavily. It doesn’t make any sense really.”

“In that time the cost of running the club has gone up by 100 million. The cost of the players is up by 100 million. So the cost has gone up by 200 million but the revenue has gone up by 100 million. It’s lost 320 million pounds in cash in the last four to fiveyears. So that’s a third of a billion.”

“Eventually you run out of road. We have got a lot of criticism in the media for some of these difficult things that we’ve been doing but they are an absolute necessity at Manchester United.”

He added about the cost-cutting measures, “It needs to become a lean, efficient organisation that cuts its cloth according to its income.”

“And it isn’t there at the moment. So there are structural changes that need to happen at Manchester United to get it to a place where it’s stable financially. That’s sort of the first thing you have to do.”

“Then we can move on to the difficult things like recruiting. We’re in a period of change. It’s not fun, particularly making the changes. But when we come out the other side, we will be back on the rails.”

United are back in action on Thursday when they face Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 clash.

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Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

United ready to snub Amorim’s “dream” target and sign prolific 20-yo striker instead – report

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United ready to snub Amorim’s “dream” target and sign prolific 20-yo striker instead – report

Manchester United are reportedly keeping an eye on Samu Aghehowa ahead of the summer transfer window.

Bruno Fernandes had to step up and pull a rabbit out of the hat once again to avoid a disappointing result against Arsenal, as United forwards delivered another disappointing performance.

With both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to find their feet in the Premier League, the Red Devils are anticipated to explore the market for a new goalscorer this summer.

In recent weeks, Victor Osimhen has emerged as United’s priority target to spearhead their attack.

According to GIVEMESPORT, the Nigerian striker is Ruben Amorim’s “dream acquisition” on the back of his prolific stint in Turkey with Galatasaray.

Interestingly, the outlet claim that despite Amorim’s interest in securing Osimhen’s services from Napoli, United have refused to rule out the possibility of “turning their attentions” towards signing Aghehowa from FC Porto.

It is suggested that the Premier League giants are “eyeing” a move for the Spaniard instead of Osimhen.

Aghehowa is enjoying a goal-laden campaign in Portugal after joining Porto from Atletico Madrid last summer. Known for his pace and physicality, the Spain international has managed to score an impressive 20 goals for Porto in all competitions this term.

The exciting striker has a release clause worth in the region of £84 million in his contract. However, it is understood that United are confident that he could “prove to be a more attainable target” than other big-names on their wishlist.

The report further states: “There is an acknowledgement behind the scenes that priority target Osimhen’s price tag and wage demands will make a deal difficult.”

Further, with Porto unlikely to secure a place in the Champions League, United would have a better chance of convincing the young striker to join their project in the summer.

Having said that, after seeing how young stars like Hojlund and Zirkzee have struggled to meet the expectations and handle the pressure of leading United’s frontline, the Mancunians would be wise to sign a more experienced striker like Osimhen over Aghehowa.

Featured image Octavio Passos via Getty Images

Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Vishal has covered football for over five years. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person. Big fan of ball-playing center-backs!

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