MANCHESTER UNITED have laid off several staff from their US tour.
New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is laying off 250 people at the club in a cost-cutting exercise.
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Those at risk who were supposed to fly to Los Angeles yesterday were told last week to stay home.
A total of 125 United staff, including the football department, are on tour – fewer than last year.
And it is considerably less than the 200 they achieved when Louis van Gaal was manager between 2014-16.
Employees were informed of the layoffs weeks ago.
Everyone specifically at risk was informed on Monday, with final decisions to be made soon.
The club declined to comment.
The Red Devils head to Los Angeles to face Arsenal on Sunday – and will have Danish duo Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen with them after returning from the summer break on Tuesday.
The full Premier League clash will take place at SoFi Stadium and is the first of the US tour.
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This will be followed by a friendly against Real Betis at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California on August 1st.
United concludes the trip to America with a match against rivals Liverpool at Williams – Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
Erik ten Hag’s team started pre-season with a 1-0 defeat to Rosenborg, after which the coach criticized his team’s performance.
That was followed by a 2-0 win over Rangers at Murrayfield on Saturday.
That game saw United’s new signing Leny Yoro make a great first impression following his £52m arrival from Lille last week.
He is United’s second signing under Ratcliffe after Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee arrived from Bologna for £36.5m.
Meanwhile, SunSport exclusively reported in May how the British billionaire had made the training ground “toxic” after criticizing the cleanliness of the facility.
It was then that he sent a memo to all employees stating his disappointment after a visit to headquarters.
It came after the team had their FA Cup final offers of free tickets, travel and lunch revoked to save money.
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Our report also revealed that some employees who were able to work from home were told to travel to offices in Manchester or London.
Ratcliffe claims that email traffic dropped by 20% at one of his other companies when they experimented with working from home on Fridays.
A staff meeting took place in which employees were bluntly told by the strict Ratcliffe: “If you don’t like it, look for alternative employment.”
This meant that employees would have to return to the office permanently by June 1.
Ratcliffe also sparked fury by admitting that plans for the women’s team “have continuity” as he described the men’s team as the “first team”.
The boss and INEOS are looking to transform the Red Devils from top to bottom after buying a 25% stake in the club earlier this year.
United confirmed the appointment of Jason Wilcox as technical director last month from Southampton, following the arrival of former Man City man Omar Berrada as their new chief executive.
The Red Devils finally confirmed that new sporting director Dan Ashworth was in place, as he quickly outlined his plans for the season.
Dan Ashworth’s open letter to Man Utd fans – which left them drooling with excitement
“This is one of my first opportunities to address Manchester United fans since joining the club as sporting director on 1 July, so I want to start by saying how delighted I am to be here.
“Although I grew up in Norfolk, I have always had a strong connection with Manchester because my mum and dad were born in Middleton and my grandparents lived there all their lives.
“When I was a boy, my father took me to games in Greater Manchester and I remember the excitement of my first visit to Old Trafford in the late 1970s, watching players like Lou Macari, Jimmy Nicholl and Arthur Albiston.
“I can’t claim to have been a die-hard United fan – my father enjoyed watching all the local teams – but I do remember the special excitement that always seemed to surround games at Old Trafford, and it’s something I’ve experienced many times since then, during my football career.
“So it will be a hugely proud moment to step into the home team’s managers’ box for the first time when the Premier League season begins against Fulham on August 16. The feeling of renewal has been particularly strong at Manchester United this summer as our new leadership structure takes shape.
“Omar Berrada started as chief executive and Jason Wilcox as technical director, and I can assure you that we wasted no time getting to work. Our first big decision of the summer was to extend Erik ten Hag’s contract as coach of the men’s first team until June 2026, reflecting our strong belief in him as one of the best coaches in Europe and the partner we want to continue working with to achieve the team. back to expected levels.
“We are all clear that last season fell below the standards required in the Premier League and Champions League, but by winning the FA Cup in such impressive fashion, our players and staff showed what they are capable of when everyone comes together and plays. to your best. potential.
“Our collective challenge is to reach these levels much more consistently. It’s my job, along with Jason, to create the right support structures and environment around Erik, the team and the players to make this possible. I can already feel a strong sense of energy and determination around the group as players and staff return fresh from the break, including some exciting new additions to the squad and coaching staff.
“There are also changes to the physical environment at Carrington as work begins on our £50m season-long training ground redevelopment – evidence of our commitment to improving the club’s infrastructure.
“This will require some adaptation this season, but all of our teams – men’s, women’s and Academy – will retain access to high-quality facilities, with the promise of a fully renovated, world-class venue once the project is complete.
“Providing a successful women’s team and a thriving, productive Academy are key goals of my work, and I have solid experience in both areas. Women’s football has been an important part of my mission in previous roles at Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and the FA, and it will be the same at Manchester United. Women’s football is without doubt the most exciting growth area in global football and we want to be part of it.
“Winning the FA Cup last season was a fantastic milestone as our first major women’s trophy, and now we want to build on that with Marc, his team and the players. Youth development has also been a big part of my career and I see it as a crucial element in the success of any football club – but especially for Manchester United, where local players have such a rich history.
“The success of our Under-18s during the 2023/24 campaign bodes well for the next generation of men’s talent, and the same applies to the women’s side, with our Under-21s and Under-16s finishing the season with trophies. Overall, my first impression is the scale of opportunities available to us at Manchester United as we review and update all areas of the club.
“This remains one of the biggest football clubs in the world, but that is not our measure of success; The focus is to return to being among the best on the field. This won’t happen overnight, but together with Omar and his new leadership team, we won’t rest until we do it.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
