The arrival of INEOS has brought a change in the direction of the English club. After months of negotiation with the Qatar delegates and INEOS, the Glazer family decided to give up part of their share as well as the football department of the organisation to INEOS control.
It was a rollercostar for United fans as they ended the season as the FA Cup winner after terrible season of consistent loss finishing 8th in the league table. The FA Cup win against Manchester City the league winner was enough to guarantee them a place in the Europa league.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe the British billionaire and leader of INEOS has brought a team of high class football brain to help with the rebuild of the club. The first appointment being Jason Wilcox as the technical director from Southampton leaving his role as their sporting director, Omar Berrada from noisy neighbour Manchester City as the CEO, Dan Ashworth from Newcastle United as the sporting director, Christopher Vivell as director of recruitment on a short term contract. All of this are proof that INEOS mean business.
The £50 million investment in Carrington which will result in the area being refurbished to deliver a word class football facility is a statement of intent by INEOS. As well the plan in place to deliver the Wembley of the North: a hundred thousand seater stadium which may cost up to £2 billion and take 6 years to construct are great sign of what is to come.
The decision to retain Erik ten hag came as a surprise to the fans and pundits as the expectation was for the Dutch man to get sacked after a disastrous season, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes the environment at which the manager has been working was the problem, according to him “Erik is a good guy but he’s doing too much”. Erik ten hag also confirmed in one of his press conferences that the transfer power has been taken away from him.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been a man of his word so far with the appointment of top football brain to different department of the club to help the squad building and a group of new coaching staff, Rudd van Nistelrooy an ex United player and a legend, won a trophy with PSV as their manager and rejected a move to Burnley as manager in favour of an assistant manager role for Erik ten hag. Rene Hake Go ahead eagle manager left his position to be an assistant manager as well. Jelle ten Rouwelaar the new goal keeper coach left his role at ajax few weeks after joining them.
Andreas Georgson the set piece coach to help defend set piece better as well as scoring from them. The last two appointment are really important in modern football as goal keepers are required to use their feet more as it an added advantage in build up and possession style of play, the set piece is another which teams like Arsenal, Manchester City and Brentford has been good at, having a specialist in this role is an added advantage when attacking or defending set piece as it could make a difference in a match.
Recruitment has been one of United biggest struggle in recent years due to the fact that they get it wrong most of the times or overpay on players while putting them on ridiculous wage which then affect them when trying to move on this players. Finally it seems like a thing of the past as the club recruitment so far has been top notch.
The first signing of the summer was Joshua Zirkzee, the talented striker from Bologna won Seria A young player of the season award, he was also instrumental to Bologna qualification to European competition this season. The talented young player has a €40 million release clause, as release clause can only be paid once and United being on tight budget they negotiated a fee slightly higher than the initial release clause and longer payment term to help further investment in the squad while also putting him on a reasonable wage.
The most sought after defender and the Coup of the summer Leny Yoro, the talented young defender a reminiscence of Raphael Varane his fellow country man who joined Real Madrid ahead of Manchester United few years ago. This was a statement signing for INEOS as they won the race to his signature ahead of Real Madrid, PSG and Liverpool, paying a whooping €70 million to Lille to get the signature of the 18 years old French defender.
This transfer is a proof to the fans and the football World that Manchester United is still one of the biggest club in the world and INEOS mean business. This may seem like a high fee but it is the going price for young talented players in recent years and this transfer will be something United will look back at and be happy they did.
The double swoop, Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui both signed from Bayern Munich. After weeks of negotiation, Bayern decided to accept United Bid of €50 million for De Ligt and €20 million for Mazraoui. The talented player was the first defender to win the golden boy award, winning the award as a teenager and the captain of ajax while leading them to a league title, he got his first move to juventus where he won the league then to Bayern Munich few years later wining the league in his first season. Mazraoui left his boyhood club ajax on a free transfer to Bayern Munich two years ago where he has been a versatile option for them as full back playing as a RB and LB when needed, also won the league title in his first season. Getting both player for such a reduced fee and good wage considering the going rate in the current market is a proof of change in the club.
With few weeks to the end of the Premier league transfer window, United are claiming there is still business to be done as reinforcement is needed in the midfield. Players like Manuel Ugarte, Sander Berge and Fofana has been looked at but due delay in outgoing and negotiation on transfer fee we will have to wait to see what the club will do here.
Outgoing has been better than before with players like Alvaro Fernandez to Benfica, Willy Kanbwala to Villareal and Donny Van de beek to Girona all leaving for a reasonable fee, while players like Casemiro, Antony, Sancho and Scott are all up for sale. Anthony Martial and Rapheal Varane both left at the end of their contract.
As a United fan you have a reason to be excited as Sir Jim Ratcliffe has kept to his word by restructuring the football department with new appointment, coaching department with new coaching staff to support Erik ten hag, and the dressing room with incoming and outgoing. All of this in a short time is something that should give United fans around the world the hope of a better future.
