Sir Jim Ratcliffe names five players considered "Failures" for Man Utd at present

In a recent interview, Sir Jim Ratcliffe publicly criticised five Manchester United players who he said were “overpaid” due to mistakes in previous transfer windows. These included Antony, who cost the club £86 million.

Ratcliffe and his new role at Manchester United

Sir Jim Ratcliffe became a minority owner of Manchester United in February 2024, after taking over part of the footballing control of the club from the Glazer family. As head of INEOS, Ratcliffe was quick to express his views on the current state of the club, stressing that there were many outstanding issues that needed to be addressed.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe admits some Man Utd players not good enough [Photo: Getty]

Transfer policy criticism

Ratcliffe has not been shy about pointing out that Manchester United’s recruitment policy over the years has led to ineffective signings. He pointed out that players such as Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Jadon Sancho and Casemiro have all received criticism from both fans and pundits.

United spent £72m on striker Hojlund, £47.2m on goalkeeper Onana, £73m on winger Sancho and £70m on midfielder Casemiro, all of whom have struggled to make a positive impact on the team.

Ratcliffe told BBC Sport: "If you look at the players we bought this summer, we inherited those things and we have to deal with them." This suggests he acknowledges the complexity of overhauling the squad.

Outstanding debts

According to Ratcliffe, Manchester United still owe payments to a number of players the club signed before he joined. In particular, he singled out Jadon Sancho, who is currently on loan at Chelsea. “We’ll pay £17m for him in the summer,” Ratcliffe revealed, suggesting that debt remains a big factor in the club’s financial management.

The list of players Sir Jim Ratcliffe has criticised includes:

Rasmus Hojlund

Young striker Rasmus Hojlund joined Manchester United from Atalanta but has scored just two goals in 23 Premier League games this season. His lack of goals has made him a target for criticism from both fans and football pundits.

Rasmus Hojlund just missed a good chance in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal

Andre Onana

Goalkeeper Andre Onana, signed from Inter Milan, has also come under pressure since replacing David de Gea. He has made a number of high-profile errors, raising doubts about his ability to maintain his place as number one in goal.

Antony

Antony, who cost Manchester United £86m, has suffered a dip in form. The club have recently decided to loan him to Real Betis in the January transfer window, highlighting the need for a change in the squad.

Jadon Sancho

Sancho, the winger who made a big splash, has also come under fire after being loaned out to Chelsea. Ratcliffe said the club would still be paying half of Sancho's wages during this time.

Jadon Sancho once commented on Instagram about Manchester United with two words "Freedom"

Casemiro

Casemiro, who joined Manchester United from Real Madrid for £70m, has also come under fire. Former player Jamie Carragher has suggested that Casemiro should consider playing in Major League Soccer or the Saudi Pro League.

Ratcliffe has always backed Ruben Amorim for his future

Ratcliffe concluded by saying that it will take time to change the face of Manchester United. “Some people are not good enough and some people are probably overpaid,” he said. He called for patience as the team rebuilds a stronger squad.

“There are some fantastic players in the squad as we know them. Bruno [Fernandes] is a fantastic footballer,” Ratcliffe stressed, offering hope for the future of Man Utd.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has pointed out serious problems with Manchester United’s transfer policy, calling for time and strategy to rebuild the team.