BREAKING NEWSMan United announce plan to make 200 MORE redundancies, taking Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bodycount to 450 – with a third of their staff axed in just a year

Manchester United have confirmed that up to 200 more jobs could be lost as part of the latest savage cost-cutting by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.

Staff were given the bad news during a meeting in the Manchester Suite at Old Trafford on Monday afternoon by chief executive Omar Berrada and chief operating officer Collette Roche.

The redundancies will be in addition to the 250 jobs lost in the initial cuts made by Ratcliffe and Ineos last year. 

‘The new raft of changes will see more staff move from Old Trafford to Carrington to create a streamlined, football-orientated workforce operating out of the training ground which is currently undergoing a £50m upgrade.

United confirmed reports that staff will no longer enjoy free lunches at the canteen at Old Trafford and instead be offered fruit – a move that will save £1m-a-year. 

Catering arrangements will remain the same at Carrington for the rest of this season, but then change to a ‘differentiated offering between staff and players’. 

It brings the total number of redundancies since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover up to 450 

Reports over the weekend claimed that staff will now be offered soup and sandwiches.

United’s corporate operation will maintain a reduced presence in London, with the leadership team working solely out of Manchester, while staff bonuses will be paid a reduced rate this year and then change to a system based more on United’s football and finance performance.

The club also confirmed that their charitable donations will be focused on the Manchester United Foundation and Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association from now on.

A statement from the club read: ‘Manchester United is to transform its corporate structure as part of a series of additional measures to improve the club’s financial sustainability and enhance operational efficiency.

‘The transformation plan aims to return the club to profitability after five consecutive years of losses since 2019. This will create a more solid financial platform from which the club can invest in men’s and women’s football success and improved infrastructure.

‘As part of these measures, the club anticipates that approximately 150-200 jobs may be made redundant, subject to a consultation process with employees. These would be in addition to the 250 roles removed last year.’

The club also quoted Berrada as saying: ‘We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men’s, women’s and academy teams. We are initiating a wide-ranging series of measures which will transform and renew the club.

‘Unfortunately, this means announcing further potential redundancies and we deeply regret the impact on those affected colleagues. However, these hard choices are necessary to put the club back on a stable financial footing.

Chief executive Omar Berrada claimed that the decisions is need to put the club ‘back on stable financial footing’

It comes after it emerged non-playing staff at Carrington will only be given soup and sandwiches

‘We have lost money for the past five consecutive years. This cannot continue. Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continuously losing money.

‘At the end of this process, we will have a more lean, agile and financially sustainable football club, while continuing to provide a world class service to our valuable commercial partners. 

‘We will then be in a much stronger position to invest in football success and improved facilities for fans, while remaining compliant with UEFA and Premier League regulations.’

The news followed a morning in which it emerged that United are closing the staff canteen at Old Trafford and offering employees fruit instead of free lunches, while non-playing staff at the Carrington training ground will only be given soup and sandwiches.