‘We can’t compete with Brighton’ – Exclusive: Ratcliffe to transform Man United with groundbreaking plan

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is gearing up to position Manchester United at the heart of an extensive network of elite clubs as he endeavors to rival other prominent English football teams, according to insiders within the football world.

Ratcliffe and his enterprise, INEOS, are poised to take the reins of football operations at Old Trafford upon the completion of a deal that will see them acquire a 25% stake in the club.

A well-informed source with knowledge of the matter has disclosed to Football Insider that the concept of a multi-club model is a central element of the billionaire’s ambitious plans.

This approach has proven highly successful for several Premier League clubs like Brighton and Manchester City. Meanwhile, RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg have also reaped the rewards of a similar setup in Europe.

One insider commented, “At the moment, we just can’t get the best young players in, and that’s crippling us. We can’t even compete with Brighton, let alone Manchester City.”

As it stands, Manchester United faces difficulties in signing international players under the age of 18 due to Brexit, severely impacting their ability to identify and nurture top-tier young talent.

In contrast, competitors like Brighton and City can attract promising youth to their ranks after nurturing them at other clubs within their owners’ portfolio.

Ratcliffe envisions leveraging a similar system, believing that United has the potential to lead a global consortium of partner clubs.

INEOS and the billionaire magnate already possess Ligue 1’s OGC Nice and Switzerland’s Lausanne, and these clubs would be seamlessly integrated into the envisioned network.

Ratcliffe is not only eyeing substantial investment in the footballing aspects of Old Trafford’s operations but also aims to rein in their extravagant spending by implementing a multi-club model geared toward attracting the most promising young talents to the club.

Manchester United has invested just over £1 billion in player acquisitions since the start of the 2017-18 season, yet they have failed to mount a serious title challenge during that time.

The club’s current manager, Erik Ten Hag, was granted a significant budget in the latest summer transfer window.

However, Football Insider has disclosed (November 3) that Ratcliffe intends to replace him with Brighton’s head coach, Roberto De Zerbi.