Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made first BIG decision after Manchester United’s acquisition

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent stake in Manchester United has now been confirmed, and whilst the Ineos chief does not yet have his feet under the table, there are already moving parts around the football club.

It has been a 13-month-long wait following the Glazers’ announcement to explore ‘strategic alternatives’ in November 2022, and confirmation finally came on Christmas Eve.

Ratcliffe will be taking full control of the footballing department at Old Trafford as part of his £1.5 billion-worth stake in the club, and he will bring in Jean Claude Blanc and Sir David Brailsford to the club’s board of directors.

Chief executive Richard Arnold has already left the club, and further change to the hierarchy was always expected once an announcement was confirmed.

Whilst the Ineos team will need to wait for the Premier League to approve the deal for them to truly get to work at Old Trafford, they have already put changes in motion following the latest reports.

According to The Times, John Murtough will leave his position as Director of Football at Manchester United, and Ratcliffe will look to bring in people who he thinks can turn things around for the struggling club.

Murtough joined United in 2013 from Everton following David Moyes becoming manager of the club after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. He rose within the ranks and earned his latest role in 2021.

It is unclear whether Murtough will be relocated into a different role within the club or will leave in entirety.

Reports have been clear that Ratcliffe is looking for a top-class sporting director, with the likes of Paul Mitchell and Dan Ashworth on the list as the British billionaire aims to propel United back to the top of the sport.

“We all want to see Manchester United back where we belong, at the very top of English, European and world football,” he said, following the confirmation of the deal on 24 December.