Manchester United to cut up to 200 jobs as Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to cut costs at Old Trafford

Manchester United are to cut up to 200 further jobs as part of a strategy they claim will transform the club into a more lean operation.

Having made 250 staff redundant last summer, United confirmed on Monday that there would be further job reductions of between 150 and 200 employees. The club are also expected to scale back their presence in London and move some staff from offices at Old Trafford to their Carrington training ground.

The cuts go beyond just personnel. Food options for employees at Carrington (excluding players) are expected to be reduced to soup and bread, per reports, while the employee canteen at Old Trafford will be closed altogether. 

The announcement comes just days after the one year anniversary of Sir Jim Ratcliffe securing a minority stake in the club. Since then the petrochemicals billionaire has embarked on wide-ranging attempts to cut costs at the club, the most recent initiative of which is said to be the end of free lunches for all staff other than the first team.

Last week saw United announce their revenue for the second quarter of the 2024-25 financial year with earnings dipping from $296.1 million 12 months ago to $260.6 million, a reflection of the side’s failure to qualify for the Champions League last season. The club’s most recent full year results revealed a loss of $142.9 million on revenue of $835.2 million.

“We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men’s, women’s and academy teams,” said chief executive Omar Berrada. “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.”

According to their most recent year end account, United had 1,140 employees. Among other Premier League clubs Liverpool reported 1,008 at the end of the 2022-23 season, Arsenal 840 in 2023-24 and Manchester City 611.

“We have lost money for the past five consecutive years,” Berrada added. “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.”