Manchester United co-owner Jim Radcliffe has accepted errors in the appointment of Dan Ashworth as former sporting director and the contract extension handed to former manager Erik ten Hag last summer, Afrosport reports.
Radcliffe began overseeing football operations at Old Trafford in December 2023 after completing the purchase of a 27.7% stake in the club.
He went on a long chase of Ashworth from Newcastle United, who was officially appointed in July, while Ten Hag was given a contract extension after winning the FA Cup, but led the team to a dismal eighth-place finish.
These two decisions proved costly for Radcliffe, as Ashworth was relieved of his duties as sporting director after just five months while Ten Hag was axed in November, with their departures costing the club £14.5 million in severance fees.
It has left the club in a very difficult financial situation, with Radcliffe revealing that his cash injection into the club has been used up and has led him to taking cost-cutting measures, including laying off 450 staff.
“But also remember I put $300 million into the club in January – that’s all gone. That’s $300 million. So yes, I agree the Erik ten Tag and Dan Ashworth decisions were errors,” the 72-year-old told BBC Sport.
“I think there were some mitigating circumstances, but ultimately, they were errors. I accept that and I apologise for that. But at the end of the day, we have to get the fundamentals right in the club – they are tens of millions. The numbers we are talking about are much bigger than that.
“The cost that we would have taken out of the club over the course of the 15 months we have been there will be about £125 million. And that put Manchester United… it will finish up being an organisation of about 700 people rather than 1,100 people.
“It will be lean, it will be efficient. It will be an elite sports organisation and it will be hopefully primed to take Manchester United back to where it should be, which is winning trophies.”
United have continued to struggle for consistency under Amorim, currently sitting in 14th place and on course for their worst finish in the Premier League era.
Radcliffe however believes the former Sporting Lisbon boss is doing a good job in the Old Trafford dugout.
“I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do. He’s an excellent manager and I think he will be there for a long time,” he added.
“I think you look at the squad he has got at his disposal, with the injury list, and he comes in mid-season when he’s had no time to train the players with his style of play, I think he’s done really well. And I think you are beginning to see a glimpse of what Ruben can produce.
“I think you saw a glimpse of it against Arsenal [in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford]. How many players against Arsenal on the bench did you recognise? How many have ever worn a Manchester United shirt for [the first team]… as there’s no squad left. We are down to the last 10 or 11 men in the squad really, of proper first-team players. Ruben is doing a super job.”
United recently unveiled plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium around Old Trafford along with a housing and hospitality project that will cost an estimated £2 billion and take five years to build.
