LONDON: Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has blasted some of his troubled club’s stars as “not good enough” and “probably overpaid.”
Ratcliffe has endured a dismal start to his reign at Old Trafford since taking charge of footballing operations in February last year.
The British billionaire named Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Antony as the chief causes of his frustration.
Sancho and Antony are currently on loan at Chelsea and Real Betis respectively after underachieving with United.
In reference to United still paying instalments of transfer fees on several out-of-form players, Ratcliffe, who shares ownership of United with the US-based Glazer family, told the BBC: “If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn’t buy, we’re buying Antony, we’re buying Casemiro, we’re buying Onana, we’re buying Hojlund, we’re buying Sancho.
“These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out.
“For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea and we pay half his wages, we’re paying £17 million to buy him in the summer.”
Asked if he was suggesting those players were not good enough for United, Ratcliffe said: “Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mold the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time.”
After United finished eighth in the Premier League last season and won the FA Cup, Ratcliffe and his United advisers opted to stick with boss Erik ten Hag despite their poor form for much of the campaign.
The Dutchman was subsequently sacked in October and replaced by Ruben Amorim after United endured another wretched run.
INEOS chairman Ratcliffe has accepted the decision to keep Ten Hag was a mistake.
He applied the same verdict to his decision to hire Dan Ashworth as sporting director, a role he left in December after just five months.
“I agree the Erik ten Tag and Dan Ashworth decisions were errors,” the 72-year-old said.
“I think there were some mitigating circumstances, but ultimately they were errors. I accept that and I apologize for that.”
Despite United’s struggles since Amorim took charge, leaving them 14th in the Premier League, Ratcliffe insisted he would keep faith with the former Sporting Lisbon boss.
“If I actually look at the squad which is available to Ruben, I think he is doing a really good job to be honest,” he said.
“I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do. He’s an excellent manager and I think he will be there for a long time.”
‘Not good enough’ and ‘overpaid’: Ratcliffe slams Man Utd flops
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‘Not good enough’ and ‘overpaid’: Ratcliffe slams Man Utd flops
- British billionaire names Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Antony as the chief causes of his frustration
- Jim Ratcliffe: ‘If I actually look at the squad which is available to Ruben (Amorim), I think he is doing a really good job to be honest’
Christensen and Rashford on target as Barcelona beat Guadalajara in Copa del Rey
- Guadalajara’s hopes were extinguished in the dying moments when Lamine Yamal played a sublime through-ball into the path of Rashford
GUADALAJARA, Spain: Late strikes from Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory for Barcelona against third-tier side Guadalajara on Tuesday, sending the Catalans through to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona labored for much of the match at the Pedro Escartin stadium, holding over 80 percent of possession but struggling to break down a disciplined five-man Guadalajara defense.
The home side posed a constant threat on the counter-attack and frustrated the European heavyweights for long stretches.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick introduced regular starters Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde, and Pedri from the bench in the second half, seeking a breakthrough.
The changes finally paid dividends in the 77th minute when Frenkie de Jong whipped in a cross from the right and defender Christensen rose highest to meet the delivery, with his header deflecting off Guadalajara’s Julio Martinez before nestling in the net.
The hosts nearly produced an immediate response, with Salifo Caropitche unleashing a fierce drive from distance, but Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen — who was playing his first game for Barca since May — reacted superbly to tip the effort over the bar, preserving his side’s slender lead.
Guadalajara’s hopes were extinguished in the dying moments when Lamine Yamal played a sublime through-ball into the path of Rashford.
The English forward showed great composure, wrong-footing keeper Dani Vicente with a quick cut to his left before tapping the ball into the empty net to wrap up the result for Barcelona.
“These are tricky matches; they come out with everything they’ve got and we have to do the same,” Cubarsi told TVE.
“In the second half, we picked up the pace and moved them from side to side to tire them out. As the minutes passed, they grew tired, and that was the key point. They played spectacularly well.”
