There are few sights more painful than watching Manchester United play right now. Whether you support the Red Devils or not, we can all agree that this historic club is in a state of complete disaster. Just two days after owner Jim Ratcliffe announced further staff cuts, United faced 18th-placed Ipswich Town in what should have been a straightforward victory- even amid their horrendous run of form. Yet, in classic Manchester United fashion, it was anything but simple. Yes, they secured a crucial three points, but it’s important to highlight how yet again United have made a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to playing bottom-table opposition.
For over a decade, we have watched this club fall further into oblivion. While it is easy to criticize the players for their lack of success on the pitch, the problems plaguing Manchester United extend throughout the entire organization.
When Jim Ratcliffe secured his minority stake in the club in February of last year, optimism surrounding this current season was higher than it had been in years. The Glazers, who previously controlled football operations, were deeply unpopular among the fans, many of whom staged “Glazer Out” marches and protests outside Old Trafford before matches. I witnessed this firsthand in 2022, when I visited the stadium during the Erik ten Hag era. Watching the match from the iconic Stretford End left me with two lasting impressions: these are some of the most passionate supporters in football- and some of the most frustrated. To be fair, they have every right to be. This is a club that won 38 trophies in 26 years under Sir Alex Ferguson. These fans are not only used to success, they expect it. So, when Jim Ratcliffe was announced as the man in charge of football operations, many believed that a return to glory was on the horizon.
One year later, Manchester United sit 14th in the league table, have suffered 12 defeats in 27 matches, and their owner has announced over 200 job cuts in effort to save an estimated £1 million annually. Meanwhile, players like Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, and Victor Lindelöf continue to earn exorbitant wages despite contributing next to nothing on the pitch.
In all honesty, what did we expect? This has become Manchester United’s trademark: overpay players who do not contribute on the field, and try to recoup the financial losses by axing the hardworking staff members. Consider the numbers: Mason Mount earns £250,000 per week and has played just eight league matches this season. Luke Shaw earns £150,000 per week and has made only two appearances. Victor Lindelöf earns £120,000 per week and has featured in just five Premier League games. Their combined annual salaries amount to a staggering $27,040,000, and their total contribution this season? Zero goals, zero assists, and just 15 matches played. Instead of addressing the club’s deeper issues, Ratcliffe has cut jobs at the bottom and rewarded mediocrity at the top.
The calamity of the club isn’t limited to off-field matters; they are just as woeful on the pitch. This season alone, United have lost to Brighton, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, West Ham, and Wolverhampton- teams whose average squad value is £368,361,717, compared to Manchester United’s £597,438,99. But that valuation is misleading; it is a byproduct of United’s reckless overspending on players who are not up to the Premier League standard.
Manchester United has also become a club where careers come to die. Not long ago, Casemiro was one of Europe’s top midfield enforcers, Matthijs de Ligt was among the best young defenders, and André Onana was a standout goalkeeper in the Champions League. Now, it is difficult to recall a stretch of games where any of them have performed consistently well.
Unfortunately, the list of disappointments doesn’t end there. Players like Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Højlund, Jadon Sancho, and Antony- acquired for a combined £244,570,014- have provided a shockingly poor return on investment. The harsh reality that United fans must accept is that, with this squad, they are a mid-table club with no realistic path to reclaiming the trophies they so desperately crave.
Manchester United’s current predicament is dire, and from the looks of it, there is no recovery in sight. Over the last few seasons, we’ve all had our own ideas on what it would take to rejuvenate this storied club: a new manager, a new owner, a fresh influx of players. All have been implemented, yet nothing has changed. Given the sheer financial power of modern football, it is almost impossible for a club of United’s stature to fall into permanent decline. But after 12 years of perennial underachievement, even the most loyal fans are starting to lose faith in the return of the once-great Manchester United.
