RATCLIFFE NAMES ‘BIGGEST PROBLEM’ WITH MAN UTD REBUILD AS TEN HAG RESPONDS TO FAN SACK CALLS

Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says it will take “six months, a year or 18 months” for him to get his ideal team in place to take the Red Devils forward.

The British billionaire completed a deal to buy 27.7 per cent of the Premier League club earlier this year and was given control of the football operation as part of the agreement with the Glazer family.

Ratcliffe immediately appointed Omar Berrada as the club’s new CEO and has since brought in Southampton’s Jason Wilcox to become technical director.

Man Utd are yet to agree compensation for Dan Ashworth

Berrada will join in the summer once his gardening leave is over, while Wilcox has been allowed to come in immediately as a boost to Ratcliffe.

Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth is the other main face Ratcliffe wants to appoint to his staff as he looks to make the Englishman the new sporting director at Man Utd.

Ashworth is on gardening leave while Man Utd attempt to negotiate a compensation fee, with Newcastle reportedly wanting £20m, while the Red Devils think around half of that would be fairer.

READ MORE: Man Utd should sack Ten Hag but look at these four players…

Ratcliffe, who ran the London Marathon before Man Utd beat Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final, pleaded for patience from Man Utd supporters over some appointments.

Ratcliffe told BBC Sport: “It’s a long journey really the football because one of the biggest problems is that you get these new guys to come into the team, really capable people, but they are all on gardening leave.

“So it takes you six months, a year or 18 months – it’s a real issue in football.

“They can’t work for us, the fans are impatient and I have some sympathy with that.

“But it’s a journey and, whether they like it or not, they have to be a bit patient. It’s not a lightswitch, it takes a bit of time.”

Erik Ten Hag: Man Utd fans can have their opinion

Erik ten Hag is coming under increasing pressure at Man Utd with the Red Devils out of Europe, seventh in the Premier League and scraping through to the FA Cup final on penalties against Championship side Coventry,

When asked about the fans who want him out of Old Trafford, Ten Hag told beIN Sports: “They can have their opinion.

“But I would say, in the decade when Man United were very successful, they only achieved the FA Cup final three times and now we have done it two times in two seasons. We are in there and that’s a huge performance.”

2024-04-22T12:59:48Z dg43tfdfdgfd