By Chris Wheeler and Liam Morgan and Joe Bernstein for MailOnline
17:50 05 Dec 2023, updated 18:20 05 Dec 2023
- Changes are coming as Ratcliffe’s £1.3bn minority deal nears completion
- United fans were left furious at how they were treated on trip to Galatasaray
- United are like a rotten window frame that you paint over to make it look better, but the problem is still there – It’s All Kicking Off
Richard Arnold jumped before he was pushed at Manchester United – but football director John Murtough is keen to work within the new set-up when Ineos start moving into Old Trafford next week.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.25billion investment will be announced in a matter of days, paving the way for the petrochemicals tycoon and his right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford to take charge of football affairs at United once it is formally ratified next month.
Confidential understands that Ratcliffe did not ask Arnold to go, but the United CEO knew the writing was on the wall and decided to announce his decision to leave on his own terms before the end of the year, with Patrick Stewart to take over on an interim basis.
There is also a question mark over Murtough’s future as Ineos focus on United’s recruitment policy. However, sources say he remains fully engaged in his role and highly visible at Carrington, and wants to continue in the job.
As part of Ratcliffe acquiring 25 per cent of the club, Ineos will be given two seats on the public company board but neither he nor Brailsford are expected to fill them.
BEATEN UNITED WING THEIR WAY HOME
At least United’s return from Newcastle on Saturday night went more smoothly than their journey to the St James’ Park after the club found a plane to bring Erik ten Hag and his players back to Manchester.
United were scheduled to fly to the north-east on the morning of the match but their chartered jet was grounded on Humberside. Fortunately, the club’s travel department had a Plan B in place and two coaches were on stand-by to take squad and support staff to the game.
United struggled to get out of first gear as they were outplayed by Newcastle more than the 1-0 scoreline suggests. But there was better news at the end of the night when a replacement plane was found to fly the players home in 30 minutes – significantly less than the three hours it took to get there.
United think it is worth flying to the more distant domestic games such as Newcastle, Norwich and Cardiff, even though it often raises environmental issues. However, the travel department always have a contingency plan if there is a technical issue with the plane or airports are closed due to bad weather.
DE GEA OPEN TO TOON RETURN
David de Gea, Onana’s predecessor in goal at United, is still without a club five months after his departure from Old Trafford – but that might be about to change.
Confidential understands that De Gea is open to the opportunity of joining Newcastle for the second half of the season after Nick Pope dislocated his shoulder in Saturday’s win over United at St James’ Park.
De Gea has had plenty of offers since leaving United after 12 years at the end of June, but has turned them all down. However, the Spaniard is said to be more receptive than he was a couple of months ago and would be willing to speak to Newcastle if there is an approach.
The 33-year-old has been back in Manchester for the last fortnight, taking in a couple of United women’s team games and catching up with his old teammates Bruno Fernandes, Raphael Varane, Tom Heaton and Victor Lindelof in Hale.
As a free agent, De Gea could join Newcastle at any time if Pope was ruled out for several months – as long as he doesn’t expect to earn the £375,000-a-week he was on at United.
TURKISH DELIGHT FOR CLASS OF ’23
Ahead of United’s return to Istanbul last week, Gary Pallister described the dirty tricks that went on when the club first visited Galatasaray for the infamous Welcome to Hell game 30 years ago.
Pallister recalled the bellboy at United’s palatial hotel on the Bosphorus greeting him with a cut-throat gesture and a cleaner being assigned to bang on the ceiling of his room with a broom.
Confidential is pleased to report that United didn’t encounter any such problems on their latest visit to Istanbul with no reports of alarms and fireworks being set off or mischief calls to the players’ rooms.
In fact, the staff at the team hotel lined up in reception to wish them all the best as the players left for the stadium before the 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.
Then again, that’s the beauty of having a corporate sponsor like Marriott. United stay in their hotels whenever possible, ensuring a friendly welcome wherever they are in the world – even Istanbul. It’s just too bad they didn’t have an official hotel partner in 1993.
… BUT IT’S WELCOME TO HELL FOR FANS
United may not have encountered any problems in Turkey last week – including a surprisingly quick clearance through immigration in both directions – but the same cannot be said for their fans.
Supporters who attended the Champions League tie have raised concerns with the club over how they were treated in Turkey.
Confidential witnessed chaos for the 2,500 travelling supporters before and after the match at RAMS Park on Wednesday. United fans were put on buses to the stadium to keep them apart from their Turkish counterparts and given a police escort, but some of the coaches sat idle for two hours in a square 20km from the ground, meaning large numbers missed kick-off.
Supporters then faced lengthy delays getting into the stadium as thousands queued outside in the biblical Istanbul rain before being funnelled into a tight entrance with six turnstiles, with only one United steward present. Others were at risk of being crushed as they were directed through a narrow side door.
Police also confiscated items from fans including power banks and phone chargers. Many of these were never returned, despite protestations from supporters.
The final whistle was blown at roughly 10.40pm local time but United fans were still inside the stadium after midnight as they were held back for around 90 minutes.
The Manchester United Supporters Trust has invited fans to give their feedback on their own experience which will then be passed on to the club and UEFA through the Football Supporters Europe group.
YOU’VE GOT TO HAND IT ONANA
Andre Onana has taken his fair share of flak since the draw in Istanbul after conceding two Hakim Ziyech free-kicks at a rain-drenched RAMS Park.
But the United keeper braved the elements again for two hours between 5-7pm on Monday night, surprising local kids when he visited one of the Manchester United Foundation’s community projects, Street Reds.
Although it was a day off for all the players, Onana spent time with 30 children who live less than a mile from Old Trafford, encouraging them during a football session. One lucky youngster even received a special pair of Onana’s gloves.
FERGIE’S FAMILY VALUES
Sir Alex Ferguson is a keen follower of more than one United and was an interested observer at Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium last week to see Peterborough, managed by his son Darren, pick up a 2-2 draw in League One.
Fergie has always kept a keen eye on lower league football, having started his own managerial career with part-time East Stirlingshire FC, and would visit non-league Macclesfield after retirement whenever there wasn’t a game at Old Trafford.
His match-going companions would be his brother-in-law from Scotland and he would meet Ged Mason, a friend with whom he co-owned horses.
So while Stevenage is a long way from the grandeur of the Manchester United directors’ box and accompanying hospitality, there was no way 81-year-old Fergie was going to miss out on the chance of supporting Darren whose team are going well chasing promotion into the Championship.
UNITED NEW BOYS STRIKE OUT
United have had the worst return on their investment so far this season based on a new survey about all the forwards signed by Premier League clubs in the summer.
Having paid an initial £64m and £55m for Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount, neither player has registered a goal or assist in the first 14 games of the season.
Nottingham Forest lead the way with eight goals produced from their modest £33m investment, followed by Luton Town, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham according to the study by betting site comparison website Punter’s Pub.
In Hojlund’s defence, he has scored five goals in the Champions League, while Mount has had two spells out of action. The England international is back on the grass as he recovers from a calf injury but Wednesday’s game against his former club Chelsea at Old Trafford may come too soon.
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.
