Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s record in a previous transfer window at Nice will terrify Manchester United fans ahead of January.The details of Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent purchase of United are being thrashed out ahead of a club board meeting on Thursday.While it has been widely reported that the investment is not expected to be decided at the meeting, the Ineos owner is closing in on an agreement.However, there are still some details to settle over Ratcliffe’s likely £1.35billion purchase that would grant him immediate control of football operations at Old Trafford, including transfers.
United fans may have reason to be wary should Ratcliffe be in place for United’s upcoming transfer window.Indeed, the petrochemicals billionaire has had mixed success in the transfer window at Nice, one of the teams part of Ineos’ vast sporting portfolio.A year ago Ratcliffe said he wanted to challenge Paris Saint-Germain at the Ligue 1 summit and went on to recruit ten players in the summer of 2022.Among those signed were former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey, ex-Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel and former Chelsea and Everton player Ross Barkley.
Schmeichel, who was 35 at the time, put pen to paper on a three-year contract, completing a £1million transfer from Leicester.Meanwhile, Ramsey, then 31, and Barkley, then 28, came in on free transfers and were given one-year contracts.However, all three players endured a tumultuous time in the French Riviera and ultimately left in the summer after the club finished a dismal ninth
Indeed, Ratcliffe’s transfer business was even criticised by club captain Dante in May.Speaking to L’Equipe the Brazilian said: “I think at some point you have to be clear in what you’re saying.“To maintain a project, maybe you need to speak less about objectives and work in silence to create an environment of competitors. Because the expectation is even bigger, and then after, people are frustrated.“The best thing to do is to prepare as quickly as possible for next season in order to start it well. Do you remember how many players came in at the end of the transfer window last summer? Six left, six arrived.
“It’s difficult in these conditions. Simply, we mustn’t make the same errors. If someone wants my opinion, the earlier we organise ourselves, the better it will be. If we want to aim higher, we have to anticipate things and put the values of the organisation in place.”He added: “We lost 10 players, 10 arrived. The teams in the semi-finals of big competitions play together for three, four years. We changed everything last summer. There is a lack of coherence somewhere. I am sorry to say that.”The club have somewhat recovered since and sit second in Ligue 1 at this early stage of the campaign after an unbeaten start.
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