Manchester United has plunged into full-blown crisis mode following their 1-0 Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur , a loss that not only ended hopes of a third trophy in three years but also left the club without European football next season and exposed a £100 million financial hole.
In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, United reportedly began informing staff that they had lost their jobs, marking the latest in a series of ruthless cost-cutting measures spearheaded by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe , according to reports from The Daily Mail and The Sun
“Sources have expressed surprise at the timing of the move to deliver the latest news to staff, so soon after the defeat in Bilbao, but the club would appear keen to make savings as soon as possible,” The Daily Mail reported.
Staff axed hours after final whistle
According to The Telegraph, United began telling up to 200 employees across various departments , including scouting, analytics, commercial, and football operations , that they were being laid off just hours after the defeat in Bilbao. This follows a previous round of 250 redundancies last summer.
Morale at the club is described as "rock bottom", with The Telegraph reporting that sweeping cuts are being implemented across the board as part of INEOS ’s broader strategy to streamline operations.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe , who acquired a minority stake in early 2024, has repeatedly stated that cost-cutting was essential to prevent the club from going “bust by Christmas” , a claim many have found questionable given the club’s £100m summer transfer budget and plans for a new 100,000-seat stadium
No Europe, no windfall: A £100m hole opens in the budget
The final defeat to Spurs not only denied United their third trophy in three years, but also the massive £100 million financial windfall from Champions League qualification. The result confirmed that Manchester United will not play any European football in 2025/26, a catastrophic financial and reputational blow.
As The Telegraph noted, United’s share price crashed by £160 million in the aftermath, wiping out nearly half the value of Ratcliffe’s holdings in just 15 months.
Despite this, United continue to discuss a £100m summer transfer budget and plans for a 100,000-seater stadium, raising questions about the true urgency of these cuts. Ratcliffe has claimed United could have gone "bust by Christmas" without action, a justification many find hard to square with the ongoing spending.
Squad purge begins: 14 players on the transfer list
On the pitch, Amorim has retained the board’s backing, but will be tasked with overseeing a dramatic summer overhaul. With PSR constraints and no European revenue, United have listed 14 players for sale, excluding expiring contracts.
Stars like Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Højlund, and even Kobbie Mainoo are now facing uncertain futures. As previously reported, all players are considered available for the right price, with Transfermarkt UK providing valuation figures. Amorim’s goal is to rebuild the squad and trim underperformers, but the clear-out will also serve as a financial lifeline.
Also read : “Every player has a price”- full breakdown of 14 United stars on the market
Booed by his own: Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces staff fury
According to The Athletic and The Sun, Sir Jim Ratcliffe was booed by club staff during a club-organized screening of the Europa League final held at Diecast Warehouse in Manchester. The jeers reportedly erupted when Ratcliffe and Avram Glazer appeared on screen, both during the match and in added time.
Ratcliffe had refused to offer staff free tickets to attend the final in Bilbao, and instead, manager Ruben Amorim personally paid for 30 backroom staff and family members to travel , a gesture that reportedly widened the rift between staff and ownership.
Fan protest builds: “We march. the fire still burns red.”
United fans are planning to protest during the final home game against Aston Villa, with supporters group The 1958 condemning both the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe for deepening the club’s crisis.
“The club is drowning in over a billion pounds of debt, our fanbase is fractured and divided and our stadium neglected – [all] down to Glazer greed and betrayal,” said The 1958 in a statement. “Even Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival has come at the cost of hundreds of jobs... Another dagger in the heart of our footballing community.”
The group will march on Sir Matt Busby Way, symbolizing the erosion of club values and calling for unified defiance.
The big picture: A club in turmoil
From missed trophies and financial shortfalls to job losses and a fractured dressing room, Manchester United are at a historic low. Ruben Amorim , who offered to waive his compensation after the final , remains in charge and will oversee a summer rebuild, but his limited transfer budget and dressing room unrest leave many questions unanswered.
As United limp into the off-season, both the squad and the structure behind it are set to undergo a dramatic overhaul. The club, its staff, and its fans now face the painful reality of a new era , one defined as much by austerity as ambition.
In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, United reportedly began informing staff that they had lost their jobs, marking the latest in a series of ruthless cost-cutting measures spearheaded by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe , according to reports from The Daily Mail and The Sun
“Sources have expressed surprise at the timing of the move to deliver the latest news to staff, so soon after the defeat in Bilbao, but the club would appear keen to make savings as soon as possible,” The Daily Mail reported.
Staff axed hours after final whistle
According to The Telegraph, United began telling up to 200 employees across various departments , including scouting, analytics, commercial, and football operations , that they were being laid off just hours after the defeat in Bilbao. This follows a previous round of 250 redundancies last summer.
Morale at the club is described as "rock bottom", with The Telegraph reporting that sweeping cuts are being implemented across the board as part of INEOS ’s broader strategy to streamline operations.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe , who acquired a minority stake in early 2024, has repeatedly stated that cost-cutting was essential to prevent the club from going “bust by Christmas” , a claim many have found questionable given the club’s £100m summer transfer budget and plans for a new 100,000-seat stadium
No Europe, no windfall: A £100m hole opens in the budget
The final defeat to Spurs not only denied United their third trophy in three years, but also the massive £100 million financial windfall from Champions League qualification. The result confirmed that Manchester United will not play any European football in 2025/26, a catastrophic financial and reputational blow.
As The Telegraph noted, United’s share price crashed by £160 million in the aftermath, wiping out nearly half the value of Ratcliffe’s holdings in just 15 months.
Despite this, United continue to discuss a £100m summer transfer budget and plans for a 100,000-seater stadium, raising questions about the true urgency of these cuts. Ratcliffe has claimed United could have gone "bust by Christmas" without action, a justification many find hard to square with the ongoing spending.
Squad purge begins: 14 players on the transfer list
On the pitch, Amorim has retained the board’s backing, but will be tasked with overseeing a dramatic summer overhaul. With PSR constraints and no European revenue, United have listed 14 players for sale, excluding expiring contracts.
Stars like Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Højlund, and even Kobbie Mainoo are now facing uncertain futures. As previously reported, all players are considered available for the right price, with Transfermarkt UK providing valuation figures. Amorim’s goal is to rebuild the squad and trim underperformers, but the clear-out will also serve as a financial lifeline.
Also read : “Every player has a price”- full breakdown of 14 United stars on the market
Booed by his own: Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces staff fury
According to The Athletic and The Sun, Sir Jim Ratcliffe was booed by club staff during a club-organized screening of the Europa League final held at Diecast Warehouse in Manchester. The jeers reportedly erupted when Ratcliffe and Avram Glazer appeared on screen, both during the match and in added time.
Ratcliffe had refused to offer staff free tickets to attend the final in Bilbao, and instead, manager Ruben Amorim personally paid for 30 backroom staff and family members to travel , a gesture that reportedly widened the rift between staff and ownership.
Fan protest builds: “We march. the fire still burns red.”
United fans are planning to protest during the final home game against Aston Villa, with supporters group The 1958 condemning both the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe for deepening the club’s crisis.
“The club is drowning in over a billion pounds of debt, our fanbase is fractured and divided and our stadium neglected – [all] down to Glazer greed and betrayal,” said The 1958 in a statement. “Even Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival has come at the cost of hundreds of jobs... Another dagger in the heart of our footballing community.”
The group will march on Sir Matt Busby Way, symbolizing the erosion of club values and calling for unified defiance.
The big picture: A club in turmoil
From missed trophies and financial shortfalls to job losses and a fractured dressing room, Manchester United are at a historic low. Ruben Amorim , who offered to waive his compensation after the final , remains in charge and will oversee a summer rebuild, but his limited transfer budget and dressing room unrest leave many questions unanswered.
As United limp into the off-season, both the squad and the structure behind it are set to undergo a dramatic overhaul. The club, its staff, and its fans now face the painful reality of a new era , one defined as much by austerity as ambition.
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