Ratcliffe ‘furious’ with €70m Man Utd ‘dud’ as Ten Hag signing is ‘huge reason’ behind club chief’s exit

According to reports, Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘cannot get his head around’ Manchester United’s decision to sign Casemiro from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The Brazil international joined the Red Devils ahead of the 2022/23 campaign for an initial fee of €60m and this deal could be worth €70m with add-ons included.

Casemiro was signed as an alternative to Frenkie de Jong after Man Utd missed out on the FC Barcelona and Netherlands standout.

United were questioned at the time for spending such a significant fee on a midfielder who was nearing the end of his career but Casemiro was one of their better players last term as he helped them finish third in the Premier League and win the Carabao Cup.

But the 31-year-old has looked a shadow of his best self at the start of this campaign and he is already being linked with a move away from Man Utd ahead of the January transfer window. 

Ratcliffe’s takeover of Man Utd is expected to be concluded before the January transfer window. The INEOS chief – who already owns Ligue Un outfit OGC Nice – is set to purchase a 25% stake in the Premier League giants and he will take control of footballing matters at Old Trafford right away.

Changes are already in the process of being made behind the scenes as chief executive Richard Arnold will leave before the end of the year and he is likely to be followed by director of football John Murtough.

Football Transfers claim Ratcliffe is ‘furious’ that Man Utd have ‘wasted’ €70m on signing Casemiro.

This signing has left Ratcliffe ‘hugely disappointed’ and it is said that ‘it was a significant factor in Arnold’s upcoming departure’. The report adds.

‘We are told that the Ineos chief, who is set to take over a 25 per cent stake in the Premier League giants, could not get his head around the club’s decision to sign the veteran midfielder from Real Madrid last summer – with sources telling us that the British billionaire believed he was a ‘dud’.

‘Sources inform us that the move was a huge reason why Arnold, the club’s CEO, was forced announce his resignation earlier this month.

‘There have been suggestions that he would be open to a move to the Saudi Pro League in the January transfer window, something Man Utd could be open to given his huge wages.

‘It’s partly the reason why Man Utd now have made inquiries over possible targets for the No.6 position. FootballTransfers exclusively revealed tthat the club had approached Fluminense to ask about Andre, who is also liked by Fulham.’

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