(Credit: Imago)

James Murray

Wed 13 August 2025 20:00, UK

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe “massively overplayed” the club’s financial issues following their big-money signing of Benjamin Sesko.

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Ratcliffe has since increased his stake in Man United to 28.9 per cent after injecting £238million into the club.

The 72-year-old claimed earlier this year United would have gone “bust by Christmas” if it wasn’t for his cost-cutting measures, which have seen hundreds of staff made redundant at Old Trafford.

The Manchester giants posted a club-record revenue of £661.8million in 2023-24 despite recording a net loss of £113.2million. 

Benjamin Sesko’s 2024-25 stats (Credit: Imago)

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This article contains exclusive comment from Stefan Borson, a former financial adviser to Man City.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “We always knew that the financial issues were overplayed.

“We spoke before about how we had this contrast between what Ratcliffe was saying in February versus what they were saying in their public documentation to the New York Stock Exchange, where they were effectively predicting the most profitable year in the last six years. 

“So, it’s not a surprise that he massively overplayed it and made lots of excuses for why they were making the redundancies that they were making.” 

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has faced criticism for his cost-cutting measures at Old Trafford (Credit: Getty Images)

In terms of a potential exit at Old Trafford, Football Insider revealed on 8 August Chelsea are pushing to agree a deal for Alejandro Garnacho.
For more news relating to Manchester United, visit our sister site MUFC Live.