Reminder: Sir Jim Ratcliffe is in charge of nothing at Manchester United yet
Sorry but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made no decisions at Man Utd other than the use of an umbrella when it was raining.
Capital stuff
Mediawatch is endlessly amused by examples like this from The Sun:
Jadon Sancho could complete Dortmund loan in HOURS with £30m Chelsea star set to join Man Utd flop in double-transfer
Are we supposed to be shocked by the HOURS? And when do HOURS become DAYS?
Oh and f*** right off with that hyphen.
King Rat(cliffe)
You would not know it from the coverage but Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s deal to buy a stake in Manchester United has not yet been ratified by the Premier League. He’s not actually making any decisions. Dave Brailsford is not making any decisions. Jean-Claude Blanc is not making any decisions.
It’s basically business as usual at Manchester United except that if the Glazers want to sack Erik ten Hag or make any major signings, they must consult INEOS.
But that’s no fun so…
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s four Man Utd decisions early in transfer window explain his blueprint
That’s the Mirror, vowing to bring us ‘four Man Utd decisions’ from a man not allowed to make decisions yet.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has wasted no time in asserting his authority at Manchester United, even if it is only from behind the scenes.
Then he’s in breach of the Premier League rules because he is not allowed to ‘assert his authority’ yet. Which is why all he is having is a series of meet-and-greets in Manchester. Where it often rains.
The billionaire is now in charge of the club’s football operations and has brought some of his trusted lieutenants on board to aid him.
We’ll stop you there because he’s not. Which undermines all of the hundreds of words that follow.
But on we go…
The first of his early (non) decisions is to ‘back Ten Hag’ on Jadon Sancho. Putting aside the small matter of it absolutely not being his call, of course Manchester United backed the Manchester United manager. What’s the alternative? Forcing the manager to pick the player? Nonsense.
The second?
Donny van de Beek may well think he never got a fair crack at it whilst in Manchester. Regardless of whether that’s true Ratcliffe has seen enough to believe that the versatile Dutchman needs to go elsewhere.
Absolutely f*** all to do with Ratcliffe. Oh and Van de Beek has previously been on loan to Everton and has been free to go out on loan in every window since. This is not a ‘philosophy’ or a ‘blueprint’ from Ratcliffe, just a lucky happenstance that Frankfurt and Van de Beek were both interested.
The third ‘decision’ is not a decision at all, but a reported interest in Michael Olise. Along with pretty much every Premier League club. Next.
Well, this really is ‘explaining his blueprint’…
United have seen some big names leave the club for nothing – anyone remember Paul Pogba? Ratcliffe though has been quick to identify who he wants to keep at the club. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has seen an option in his contract triggered which ties him down until 2025.
Because before Ratcliffe, of course, Manchester United never triggered one-year extensions for fringe players to protect their value.
Oh, wait a minute, that’s exactly what they have always done and is one of the reasons they are in this pickle.
It’s almost like the decisions are not being made by Ratcliffe at all.
Life outside Manchester
Jadon Sancho is joining Borussia Dortmund on loan in a move that appears to make sense for all parties. Unless you work for the Manchester Evening News and you cannot comprehend why anybody would enjoy life away from Manchester United.
Manchester United and Jadon Sancho will get nothing out of Borussia Dortmund loan
Well, United will get an unhappy player off their training ground and at least some of his wages off their books, while Sancho will actually play football. Which as a footballer is absolutely not ‘nothing’.
Sancho was supreme for Dortmund before joining United. Between 2017 and 2021 he scored 50 goals and laid on 58 more in 137 appearances. But that level hasn’t transferred to United, so even if he returns to that kind of form, is it going to convince anyone at Old Trafford or elsewhere in the Premier League that he can cut it at this level?
a) probably yes, as it’s Manchester United that look like the incompetent fools in that scenario and b) Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga and still in the Champions League. Sancho would probably quite like to join them permanently again, thanks. That’s not a step down from ninth-placed Manchester United, fella.
