EXCLUSIVE Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to recommend job cuts at Man United as the INEOS CEO plots major restructuring following his £1.25bn takeover – having determined the Red Devils are OVERSTAFFED

• Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in Man United could be confirmed this week
• The INEOS CEO could be set to recommend job cuts once the deal is confirmed
• REVEALED on It’s All Kicking Off: Man United’s January transfer window plans… and how the Sir Jim Ratcliffe takeover will impact them

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to recommend job cuts and efficiency savings at Manchester United after completing his planned purchase of 25 per cent of the club. 

Mail Sport has learned that after reviewing due diligence conducted by INEOS prior to formalising their £1.25billion investment offer Ratcliffe has concluded that United are overstaffed in several areas and that some departments would benefit from restructuring.

United have by far the biggest staff of any club in the Premier League, with over 1100 employees on the payroll at Old Trafford.

That number is considerably higher than all of their Big Six rivals, with Liverpool having around 900 employees, Tottenham 750, Manchester City 720 and Arsenal 700.

United have increased their staffing levels significantly in recent years, with the headcount rising from around 800 in to 1112 this year. 

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to recommend job cuts and efficiency savings at Man United after completing his £1.25million investment in the football club

The Red Devils currently have the most staff on their payroll of any club in the Premier League 

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Much of the increase is understood to have been down to major investment in the commercial and digital areas of the business, with some at Old Trafford privately conceding they are overstaffed in certain areas.

A strong commercial team helped United generate a then Premier League record turnover of £648.4m in October, although that was surpassed by City’s turnover of £712.8m the following month. 

While City’s staffing levels are considerably lower than United’s their multi-club ownership model enables them to share many functions with other clubs and parent company City Football Group, who have 1229 employees worldwide.

As a multi-national giant generating annual turnover of over £50billion INEOS have 25,000 employees worldwide, but their sporting division has a relatively small number of staff and is renowned throughout the industry for being a lean operation.

Ratcliffe is understood to be advocating a similar approach at United, not simply to cut costs but because of a belief that fewer numbers can establishing greater levels of accountability and more clarity of purpose.

While the precise nature of Ratcliffe’s responsibility for governance and staffing issues at United has yet to be established INEOS’ 25 stake will give them strong voice. 

The petrochemical company are also expected to be given at least two seats on United’s main Board, which will formalise their influence.

Ratcliffe has been doing his due diligence and has concluded that the club is overstaffed in certain departments  

His deal to acquire a 25 per cent stake in the club could go through in the next week, with his 25 per cent stake set to give him a strong voice alongside the Glazer family in the boardroom

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Ratcliffe will have a particular focus on United’s football department and has already decided to bring in a new sporting director, with Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth viewed as the leading candidate. 

In other planned changes previously reported by Mail Sport Ratcliffe will also overhaul United’s medical department and encourage recruitment staff to place more attention on signing British players.

After almost 12 months of talks negotiations over Ratcliffe’s investment are in their final stages, but will take a further eight weeks to be ratified by the Premier League once they are completed.

Ineos and United declined to comment.

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