Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s clearout of the senior off-field figures at Manchester United has continued with the announcement that interim CEO Patrick Stewart and Chief Financial Officer Cliff Baty will leave at the end of the season.
Stewart, who is also the club’s Chief Legal Officer, and Baty are going by mutual consent as they follow Football Director John Murtough in departing, while former Chief Executive Richard Arnold stepped down before the Ineos billionaire’s investment at Old Trafford was completed.
United will have four chief executives in nine months with former Juventus CEO Jean Claude Blanc, a director of the club and an ally of Ratcliffe, taking the role on a temporary basis before Omar Berrada completes his gardening leave and can start on 13 July.
Lifelong United fan Roger Bell, the former CFO of Ineos Sport, will replace Baty, who has been at Old Trafford since 2016 and a director since 2017. Stewart has worked for United for the last 18 years, with his responsibilities including managing the club’s relationships with bodies such as Uefa and the Premier League.
Ratcliffe, who bought a 27.7 per cent stake, has taken control of footballing affairs and is reshaping the club as United are creating a new leadership team around Berrada. Jason Wilcox has joined as technical director while United hope to hire Dan Ashworth as sporting director. He has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle and the two clubs are in a process of arbitration.
The high turnover of personnel is a further indication of Ratcliffe’s dissatisfaction with the way United were run before his arrival. It also heightens a focus on manager Erik ten Hag, another senior figure appointed by the former regime.
United are conscious they have limited leeway within current Premier League financial restrictions and are looking at ways to save money and generate more income as well as to improve results on the pitch.
Ratcliffe said: “I would like to personally thank both Patrick and Cliff for their support in helping us get to know the club and making us feel welcome and I respect their decisions to now move on as we establish a new management team for the club.”
Co-owner Joel Glazer added: “I would like to thank Patrick and Cliff for their dedicated service to Manchester United and wish them well for the future. Both have been a source of invaluable advice and expertise over many years, and Patrick has served an important role as interim CEO during this transitional phase.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
