Open Goal: Sir Jim Ratcliffe “Fears Man Utd Could Go Bust”

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly fears the club could go bust without his radical cost-cutting agenda.

Ratcliffe paid $1.25 billion to acquire 27.7% of the Premier League club last year. Since then, the 72-year-old has been on a spree of cost-cutting policies that have made him unpopular among fans.

He laid off about 250 employees last summer and autumn and is driving the plan for another round of up to 200 job losses.

In addition to mass redundancies, Ratcliffe has substantially raised ticket prices, cancelled charitable donations to club legends, and scrapped the club’s Christmas party.

Ratcliffe reportedly believes he has little choice but to take tough measures after United lost $375 million over the past three years.

And Ratcliffe is prepared to keep going with his cost-cutting - despite knowing it is hugely unpopular with fans.

At the same time, poor signings have left little flexibility in the transfer market. As a result, nearly every single player has been made available for transfer, including the trio of Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. 

On the pitch, it has been an equally dismal season. Amorim’s Red Devils are currently languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League.

After a 3-1 loss to Brighton, Manager Ruben Amorim admitted relegation was a "possibility" and called his side the "worst United team in history.”

United is heading into one of the most crucial summer transfer windows in its history, and it must start justifying its actions with results on and off the pitch.