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’
Inter continue Scudetto march after Champions League humbling
- Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan bounced back from Champions League elimination with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Genoa which continued their march toward the Serie A title.
Federico Dimarco’s brilliant volley just after the half-hour mark and Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty were enough for Inter to extend their already huge lead over AC Milan at the top of the table to 13 points.
Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto.
Inter, whose fans unloaded a collection of anti-Milan chants in anticipation of the derby, have dropped just two points in 15 league matches and have been a cut above the rest in Italy’s top flight this season.
Their domestic dominance comes in stark contrast to the humiliating manner in which they were dumped out of the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night.
A 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Norwegian minnows cast doubts over not just the quality of Cristian Chivu’s team but of Italian football as a whole.
There was plenty of quality in Dimarco’s opener however, the Italy full-back beautifully placing a first-time finish from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Little else happened in a humdrum encounter until Alex Amorim handled a cross from Luis Henrique, whose shot had been tipped onto the post just moments before.
Calhanoglu calmly stroked home the spot-kick on his return to action following niggling muscle problems which have caused him issues since before Christmas, sealing the points for Inter.
Big Rom back
Romelu Lukaku kept Napoli on course for a Champions League spot with a last-gasp winner in the champions’ 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Verona, the Belgium forward’s first goal of the season.
Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to snatch the win for third-placed Napoli with the last kick of the game at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Napoli had looked like dropping points in northern Italy when Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro levelled Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener in the 65th minute.
But Lukaku, who only played his first game of the season in late January, gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing.
“I was a dead player before coming here,” said Lukaku to DAZN.
“This season has been difficult, but we’ve got to aim high.”
Napoli’s title defense is all but over as they trail Inter by 14 points after an injury-ravaged season.
Napoli were missing key midfielders Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa on Saturday, as well as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Verona, under interim coach Paolo Sammarco following the sacking of Paolo Zanetti earlier this month, are 10 points from safety after a 12th straight match without a win.
Como, who face Inter in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, strolled to 3-1 victory over strugglers Lecce to continue their push for a first-ever qualification for European football.
Cesc Fabregas’s team are two points behind Roma, in fourth and Juventus’ opponents on Sunday, and five behind Napoli.
Como are also two points ahead of sixth-placed Juve who face Roma trying to stay in touch with the Champions League places after being eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition by Galatasaray on Wednesday.
