Close to taking a 25% stake in Manchester United, Sir Jim Ratcliffe already has a clear idea of what he is going to do in terms of recruitment. He wants to favor local players and training.
The time for frenzied spending may be over for Manchester United. Because despite the hundreds of millions spent over the last ten years, the English club has never managed to regain its former glory. Close to taking a stake in the club, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already developed a new recruitment strategy. No more huge bets on so-called stars, make way for training and interest in players from England.
As indicated by Dailymail this Thursday, the one who will recover 25% of the shares currently held by the Glazer family, is determined to bring a “British” touch to the Manchester United squad. In its heyday, the team then coached by Sir Alex Ferguson also included some choice “made in England” elements. Whether it was Paul Scholes, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham, the brothers Gary and Phil Neville, without forgetting David Beckham or Wes Brown, England was well represented at MU.
A very present past
This season, there are certainly still a few English players, but they can be counted on the fingers of both hands and their level is no longer satisfactory, with the exception of Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw. We will therefore have to change their minds for Mancunian recruiters. Targets are already in the sights, such as Ivan Toney (Brentford) or Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace). It remains to be seen how long it will take Jim Ratcliffe and his men to reshape the team according to their desires. More than ever, the memory of the glorious years makes Manchester United dream.
