Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Manchester United transfer exodus plan is about more than just FFP

This summer is expected to herald something of an exodus at Manchester United as the laying of the foundations for the future begins.

Having acquired football oversight as part of the £1.3billion deal for 27.7 per cent of the Old Trafford side in December, new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team have already started the process of addressing the deficiencies that exist within the football club. The lack of a sporting director of the level required has been a major issue, and Dan Ashworth is favourite to join the club in that capacity once an agreement to extricate him from Newcastle United has been agreed.

The man who played a significant part in the transfer market success story that has been Brighton & Hove Albion is wanted to sprinkle a little of that magic at United. The number of players leaving Old Trafford this summer could be in double figures, with Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, and Tom Heaton all out of contract, while Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Facundo Pellistri are all entering the final years of their deals.

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The transfer market is changing, and owners at major clubs across Europe are readying themselves for what is to come. The financial strength of the Premier League, in particular, has long been predicated on the League’s ability to drive huge broadcast revenues at home and abroad. The combined deal for the current overseas deal and the newly-agreed domestic deal is over £11bn for the cycle.

The domestic deal was agreed at £6.7bn, which seems on the face of it as a near-£1.7bn