Michael Carrick
January 2026
Carrick said he is not offended by planned fan protests against ownership, despite improved results under his interim spell. The protest is driven by long-running anger at the Glazers and continued frustration after recent underperformance; Carrick acknowledged the context while focusing on football matters.
Harry Maguire
January 2026
United’s leadership is divided on whether to extend Maguire’s contract; Ratcliffe is reportedly against it even though Maguire would take a pay cut to stay. Ratcliffe wants a younger centre-back core and believes existing mid-20s options plus emerging prospects cover the need; other club figures cite Maguire’s form and resilience, while his agents are exploring overseas interest as leverage.
Manchester United
January 2026
United fell to eighth in the Deloitte Football Money League, dropping below Liverpool and Arsenal for the first time in the report’s history, highlighting the financial impact of their poor 2024-25 campaign and reduced competitive standing. Despite recording £666.5m turnover, United were overtaken by rivals as on-pitch decline undercut growth. The report frames the slide as a long-term erosion that commercial strength can no longer fully offset.
Ruben Neves
January 2026
United are reported to be accelerating a move for Neves, valued around £20m, to strengthen midfield immediately. The club view midfield control as a core weakness and see Neves as a longer-term fit even under an interim, with funds ready to deploy quickly if conditions allow.
Socrates
December 2025
Manchester United have signed 13-year-old centre-back Socrates, a London-born prospect who impressed after five years at Elite London Academy, underlining the club’s renewed commitment to aggressive youth recruitment under the INEOS regime. Rejected after trials at Arsenal, Tottenham and Crystal Palace, Socrates rebuilt his game from winger to composed centre-back, convincing United scouts during a trial spell; he will relocate to Manchester, combining a top local school with a long-term development plan inside the academy.
Wayne Rooney
November 2025
Rooney labelled United’s pre-Ratcliffe recruitment strategy erratic, highlighting costly marquee arrivals such as Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku and short-term bets like Zlatan Ibrahimović as emblematic of a lack of football vision before INEOS assumed football control. He contrasted that era with recent targeted moves under the new structure—Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Senne Lammens—citing improved balance and form. United’s unbeaten run across five has eased pressure as the club pivots to profile-driven squad building.
Eric Cantona
October 2025
Prospective buy-out planners floated Cantona’s ambassadorial return while ownership remains split between the Glazer majority and INEOS minority with football ops led by Ratcliffe. Any role depends on transaction progress and PR strategy to reconnect fans during governance change and infrastructure investment.
Manchester United
September 2025
Manchester United’s bold Old Trafford redevelopment faces a major hurdle after Freightliner hiked land prices to £400m, eight times United’s £50m projection. The site, west of the stadium, was vital for a 100,000-seat canopy-wrapped design. Freightliner’s pending takeover by CMA CGM complicates talks, prompting United to draft alternative, more traditional stadium designs. Ratcliffe insists redevelopment will modernize Old Trafford and regenerate the area, though fans already branded the original canopy plans “embarrassing” and “circus-like.”