Sir Jim Ratcliffe claims he has made Manchester United the most profitable club in the world

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has defended his sweeping cost-cutting at Manchester United, claiming the club is now “reaping the benefits” of decisions that attracted fierce criticism.

The co-owner said United had become “the most profitable club in the world”, using the Old Trafford overhaul as an example of prioritising an organisation’s long-term interests over personal popularity.

United’s extensive cost-cutting programme

Ratcliffe bought a 27.7 per cent stake in Manchester United for £1.25 billion in 2024, taking control of the club’s football operations as part of the agreement.

His subsequent restructuring included 450 job cuts as well as the closure of the staff canteen. Those measures attracted a strongly negative response during the early stages of the Ineos regime.

Changes behind the scenes have remained a prominent issue. TPP recently covered Michael Farrell’s departure as another blow to the club’s internal structure.

Supporter unease has also persisted, with a United fan group issuing a stern public warning to the club earlier this month.

Ratcliffe defends unpopular Old Trafford decisions

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Ratcliffe drew a comparison between United’s restructuring and the difficult decisions he believes British prime minister Andy Burnham needs to make.

“You need someone who’s tough. If you look at what we did at Manchester United, in the beginning we had a club which was financially in a poor place and we needed to deal with it which was extremely unpopular,” he said.

The 73-year-old acknowledged that the coverage generated by his measures had been “really difficult” and “really unpleasant”, but insisted the hierarchy acted in the club’s interests.

“We got on and did what we thought was good for the club — not what we thought would be good for me in the newspapers,” Ratcliffe added. “And now we’re reaping the benefits of that because we’re the most profitable club in the world, and in future we can think about investing that wisely.”

However, the United co-owner declined to address the team’s poor form or answer whether manager Michael Carrick could become another casualty of the club’s restructuring.

The Ineos chief’s relationship with Manchester

Ratcliffe is the founder and chairman of chemicals group Ineos. His net worth was estimated at £15.2 billion in The Sunday Times Rich List, while he has lived in Monaco since leaving Britain in 2020.

His relationship with Burnham predates the latest interview. Ratcliffe said he had known the Prime Minister for several years and dealt with him while United considered options for upgrading Old Trafford.

The pair also appeared alongside previous PM, Sir Keir Starmer, at Old Trafford in 2024 to discuss the club’s stadium plans when Burnham was mayor of Manchester.

Ratcliffe made his latest comments in Esbjerg, Denmark, where an Ineos-led team launched a carbon capture and storage project involving depleted North Sea oilfields.

Final Thoughts

• Ratcliffe says United are now benefiting from his cost-cutting programme.
• The restructuring included 450 job cuts plus the closure of the staff canteen.
• He claims United have become the world’s most profitable club.
• Ratcliffe declined to discuss Michael Carrick’s position.

Featured image by Justin Setterfield via Getty Images