Sir Jim Ratcliffe has defended his cost-cutting programme at Manchester United and cited it as an example of the difficult decisions he believes political leaders need to be willing to make.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the United co-owner said the club was in a poor financial position when INEOS became involved and that addressing it required measures that proved extremely unpopular.
United’s restructuring included around 450 job cuts and the closure of the staff canteen as part of a wider programme to reduce costs.
Ratcliffe acknowledged the negative reaction generated by the changes but said the club proceeded with decisions it believed were necessary rather than responding to the criticism.
He said United are now “reaping the benefits” and claimed the club has become “the most profitable club in the world”, giving it greater scope to invest in the future.
Ratcliffe made the comments while discussing Andy Burnham, saying political leaders need to be prepared to take similarly unpopular decisions.
He described Burnham as intelligent and someone he likes personally, but questioned whether he would be able to make difficult decisions while facing political pressures.
Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7 per cent stake in Manchester United in 2024 and took control of the club’s football operations as part of the deal.
The cost-cutting programme has remained one of the most prominent features of the INEOS period at Old Trafford, with the latest interview providing Ratcliffe’s own defence of the decisions.
