-Credit:Carl Recine/Getty Images
Manchester United are not in good shape on the field and life off it seems just as bleak.
Supporters might be experiencing the January blues following some excruciating performances and results over the Christmas period. Since that epic smash-and-grab win against Manchester City, the club have lost four games on the bounce.
First was the bizarre 4-3 League Cup quarter-final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur before awful defeats to Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle United in the Premier League. As a result, the team finds itself 14th in the table, some 13 points off the top four and just seven above the relegation zone.
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United are in desperate need of reinforcement but look unlikely to get any this month amid Financial Fair Play [FFP] rules, unless current options are moved on. The picture for January looks somewhat grim when finances are assessed.
Big cash loss
In September, United announced they had recorded a cash loss of £113million for the year ending June, despite recording record revenues. Club chiefs indicated at the time they were confident that they would not breach finance regulations.
Of course, United had Champions League football last season but this time around they find themselves in the Europa League and thus will receive significantly less prize money. The increase in group stage games and a potential knockout play-off round will help matchday revenue.
But with United surely set to miss out on Champions League football for next season, the knock-on effect will continue. In the meantime, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been on a cost-cutting exercise.
Ratcliffe’s axe
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe at OId Trafford -Credit:Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Ratcliffe has made a number of unpopular decisions at United since his arrival amid his bid to cut costs. The sanctioning of 250 staff job redundancies went down like a lead balloon, as did the choice to stand down Sir Alex Ferguson from his paid ambassadorial role at the end of the season.
Some fans staged a protest ahead of the 4-0 win over Everton against a hike in matchday ticket prices to £66 with concessions scrapped until the end of the campaign. Ratcliffe said he understood the backlash but added: “I don’t think it makes sense for a Manchester United ticket to cost less than a ticket to see Fulham.”
Ratcliffe has also made some huge boardroom decisions that have had ramifications on United’s January FFP scope, namely regarding compensation pay-outs. United spent around £3m to acquire Dan Ashworth before he was sacked as sporting director a few months later.
Compensation was also paid out to Southampton for technical director Jason Wilcox. Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag is due around £17m in sacking compensation with around £8m forked out to prise Ruben Amorim out of his contract at Sporting CP. All of this counts towards FFP limits.
Summer spending
United splurged £206m on five signings in the summer, which has backed them into a corner this month – a story that has ran through the last three January windows. Except this time around, there is nothing to spend.
The Manchester Evening News understands that United essentially have no room for manoeuvre this month. Unless one thing happens…
So, United can’t spend this month then?
Not if they don’t sell players – but that is a possibility. Marcus Rashford’s future is unclear amid his comments about being ready for a “new challenge”.
Marcus Rashford during Manchester United clash against Newcastle -Credit:Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
He has denied that his close circle has been seeking out potential suitors but that doesn’t mean an exit is necessarily off the table. Meanwhile, this window is the last chance to get a fee for Christian Eriksen, who is out of contract this summer.
Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans also find themselves in the same situation albeit it seems unlikely any of the defensive trio will be shown the door, for differing reasons – one of which being squad numbers and experience.
Ruben Amorim seems aware that there is little money available, too. Speaking on Monday, he said: “We don’t have that possibility in January. You know the situation better than I [do]. It’s not the case I am not arriving here and I can spend a lot of money, changing all the team. You know the situation so it’s not a point to talk about it.”