Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ruthless overhaul of Manchester United isn’t slowing down. Fresh off sacking hundreds of staff, scrapping free lunches, and cancelling Christmas parties, the INEOS billionaire is now targeting the club’s posh London offices in a bid to reduce expenses further. According to The Guardian, United are exploring an early exit from their 10-year lease in Kensington, London.
Just two years ago, United signed a decade long lease for a massive 23,000 sq ft space in Kensington, complete with a rooftop terrace and panoramic views of the capital. The office, housing senior executives and corporate dealmakers, was meant to symbolize United’s global brand reach. Now, Ratcliffe sees it as a financial burden and believes all the footballing operations must shift to Manchester.
Insiders reveal the INEOS chief wants most staff centralized in Manchester, aligning with his vision of a unified club rooted in its historic home. The Kensington hub, costing millions annually, is deemed surplus, especially with Ratcliffe favouring INEOS’ nearby Knightsbridge offices for high-stakes meetings and transfer negotiations. United’s London office, opened in 2010 under Ed Woodward, once symbolized their commercial might. Rivals like Manchester City, Everton, Leeds and Liverpool followed suit. But Ratcliffe’s “Manchester First” philosophy reverses that trend, pulling everyone back to Carrington and Old Trafford.
Negotiations to terminate the lease are tricky. United could face penalties, but Ratcliffe’s team believes the long-term savings outweigh the fallout. For context, the club’s transformation plan has already axed 250 jobs, with a further 200 announced recently.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting spree has ignited backlash at Manchester United, with staff perks slashed to the bone. Free lunches? Replaced by fruit at the training complex and Old Trafford. Christmas parties? Canceled. Remote work? Banned, forcing matchday hospitality boxes to double as makeshift offices amid space crunches. Youth scouts weren’t spared either, as they faced job axing too. Yet, while low-level staff bear the brunt, United’s wage bill still soars at £171m/year. Critics argue that while Ratcliffe is saving pennies, United aren’t focusing on the bigger picture where the bucket actually leaks.
With United’s debt still towering, every penny saved counts even if it means burning bridges in the capital. As the cost cutting measures continue, United brace for Thursday’s Europa League clash with Real Sociedad in the Europa League which presents them with the only available option to play in Europe next season. Sitting 14th in the Premier League, their season hinges on European glory. But for Ratcliffe, the real battle is balancing the books, no matter the human cost.