Man Utd confirm 200 MORE job losses as devastating financial situation hits home

MANCHESTER UNITED have confirmed as many as 200 staff will lose their jobs as part of a second wave of cost-cutting since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.

Last summer saw 250 staff made redundant in a brutal first wave to save costs.

But the list of casualties is now set to increase by between 150 and 200 after a statement revealed the next steps in the club's transformation plan.

A club statement released this afternoon said: "Manchester United is to transform its corporate structure as part of a series of additional measures to improve the club’s financial sustainability and enhance operational efficiency.

"The transformation plan aims to return the club to profitability after five consecutive years of losses since 2019.

"This will create a more solid financial platform from which the club can invest in men’s and women’s football success and improved infrastructure.

"As part of these measures, the club anticipates that approximately 150-200 jobs may be made redundant, subject to a consultation process with employees.

"These would be in addition to the 250 roles removed last year."

SunSport exclusively revealed how lunches for all but the first team had been reduced to soup and sandwiches — and that includes coaches and analysts, with a later report from The Guardian revealing the staff canteen was set to CLOSE altogether.

Ending free lunches for staff is estimated to be saving the club £1million a year, while the club will also be scaling back its London presence, according to BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, SunSport also exclusively reported how the Under-18s were denied the chance to play at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup fifth round, with the game played at Leigh Sports Village to save £8,000.

Other cuts have seen Ratcliffe cancelling the club's annual Christmas party, raising concession ticket prices and cutting funding for a charity helping former players.

Sky Sports report the club remain committed to a £40,000-a-year donation to their Disabled Supporters’ Association, but are considering reducing payments to the MU Foundation.

Reports revealed without a £240m investment from new minority owners, Ineos, Man Utd would have "run out of money".

Financial figures for the second quarter of the 2024/25 financial year revealed just how bad the situation had become, with interest costs since the Glazers took over in 2005 now reaching more than £1billion.

The report also revealed that without an £80m investment from Ineos in the quarter the club would be down to just £15m in cash.

CEO Omar Berrada laid out the devastating impact of years of mismanagement has had on the club after running at a loss for five consecutive years.

He said: "We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men’s, women’s and academy teams.

"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. We have lost money for the past five consecutive years. 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.

“At the end of this process, we will have a more lean, agile and financially sustainable football club, while continuing to provide a world class service to our valuable commercial partners.

"We will then be in a much stronger position to invest in football success and improved facilities for fans, while remaining compliant with UEFA and Premier League regulations."

A damning statement from the Man Utd Supporters Trust (MUST) following the publication of the second quarter financial results said: "Today’s financial results lay bare the scale of the financial mismanagement we have seen at Manchester United...

"Fans should not pay the price for a problem that starts with our crippling debt interest payments and is exacerbated by a decade or more of mismanagement.

"It’s time to freeze ticket prices and allow everyone - players, management, owners and fans - to get behind United and restore this club to where it belongs."

If the off pitch situation was not bad enough, things on the pitch could not be much bleaker.

The club is enduring its worst season on the pitch since they were relegated in the 1970s and every position lower they go costs them £4m in prize money.

By sitting 15th in the table, level on points with 16th place West Ham, the Red Devils could also be left without European football next season unless they win the Europa League.