Ratcliffe Admits Manchester United Has Become “Mediocre”, Defends Tough Decisions.
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has admitted that the club has become “mediocre” and warned that further “difficult and unpopular decisions” will be necessary to restore its former glory.
Ratcliffe, who took partial control of United last December, has faced backlash from fans following the scrapping of concession tickets and the introduction of a minimum ticket price of £66. Protests erupted at Old Trafford before last weekend’s victory over Everton in response to the changes.
However, in an interview with United We Stand Ratcliffe defended the move, stating that his goal is to improve the club.
“Manchester United has become mediocre,” he said. “It is supposed to be one of the best football clubs in the world. We have to make some difficult and unpopular decisions. If you shy away from the difficult decisions, then nothing much is going to change.”
Ratcliffe pointed to the club’s financial struggles as a major issue, revealing that United recorded a net loss of £113.2m for the year ending 30 June 2024, with total losses exceeding £370m over the past five years.
Since taking charge, he has overseen significant changes, including the sacking of manager Erik ten Hag and the appointment of former Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim—a managerial change that cost the club £21.4m.
“I know we get criticism in the press, but we do need to challenge the cost of running this club because what I want to be free for us to do is buy really good footballers, not spend so much of the money on infrastructure,” he said.
Ratcliffe acknowledged the concerns of match-going supporters, particularly those from working-class backgrounds, but maintained that ticketing needed to be optimised.
“I was brought up on a council estate in Manchester. I don’t want to end up in a position where the genuine local fans can’t afford to come, but I do want to optimise the ticketing,” he explained. “We need to find a balance – and you can’t be popular all the time either. Here, we are talking about 3% of the tickets. I don’t think it makes sense for a Manchester United ticket to cost less than a ticket to see Fulham.”
As Ratcliffe continues to reshape the club’s future, discussions about building a new stadium have been pushed into 2025. While fans remain divided on his approach, he remains committed to restructuring United to compete at the highest level once again.
