Manchester United will cut up to 250 jobs, reducing their workforce by a quarter to save costs and streamline operations.
Minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who owns 27.7% and oversees sporting operations, has also ended the flexible work-from-home policy for non-football staff.
Ratcliffe’s approach told staff to “seek alternative employment” if unhappy with the new policy, giving them a week to decide under a ‘voluntary resignation’ program, which saw low participation. Now, redundancies are expected based on consultancy advice. Interim CEO Jean-Claude Blanc informed staff of the cuts, expected before the 2024/25 season.
The Manchester United Foundation’s employees, who work for the club’s charitable arm, are safe. However, “all department and levels within the club” are expected to be impacted, as there are 1,112 employees on record.
Sky Sports reports that a formal process for redundancies will begin, with staff consultations. The aim is to create a “long-term sustainable solution” for football success. United plans to become “lean and agile,” as they employ more staff than needed. For comparison, Manchester City has 520 staff. However, cutting 250 jobs, averaging £35,000 salaries, would only cover Mason Mount’s wages for eight months, as noted by football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
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