Sir Jim Ratcliffe handed Man United verdict after £660m reveal amid Ruben Amorim struggles

Manchester United may be suffering considerable strife on the pitch, but off it the club continues to show its financial might after climbing one place in the annual Deloitte Football Money League.

United currently find themselves languishing in 13th in the Premier League, with Ruben Amorim, appointed as successor to the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, having lost seven of his 15 games in charge in all competitions so far.

For a club where co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS firm, who acquired a 27.7% stake at the end of 2023 and were handed football oversight by the controlling Glazer family, have ambitions to raise standards, the current United side is falling dismally short, with Amorim himself branding them as potentially one of the worst sides in the club’s history, a statement he has since attempted to row back on somewhat.

Turning around the tanker on the field may take some time, especially as United have been hamstrung by the lack of freedom in the transfer market in recent times due to flying close to the wind when it came to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations. However, Ratcliffe has already embarked on a mission of cost cutting in order to improve efficiency, as well as seeking to overhaul the recruitment side of the club, where profligacy has been found in spade loads in recent seasons through huge overspend on players not able to make the grade.

But when it comes to the strength of the club as a financial powerhouse, ignoring the PSR issues that they may have had some concern about before managing to fly under the threshold, the club continues to be a global force.

Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, which advises governments, investors, sport governing bodies and organisations,