Katie Zelem launches scathing attacking on INEOS as ex-Man Utd captain says it’s obvious women’s team isn’t a priority for Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Zelem has her name written in the history books at Manchester United after leading them to FA Cup glory last season, but there were some hard-hitting words from the former skipper a few months after departing the Women's Super League side. Now playing for Angel City in Los Angeles, Zelem has opened up on life in Manchester after INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe took over and it was a damning explanation of how the women's team were not a priority under the new ownership.

Speaking in an interview with Manchester World, Zelem said: "It has been difficult. You like to think when you’re in a professional women’s team, in the first team, that you are a priority. But unfortunately, at Manchester United over the six years I was there it didn’t always feel like that, whether it was being moved out of facilities or whether you’re struggling for pitches.

"I think a lot of circumstances arise that highlighted they didn’t have the women’s team as a priority. Since INEOS has come in, the reducing budgets… it is usually the women’s team that feel the brunt of that and I think it’s something that needs to be sorted because Manchester United could have one of the best women’s teams in the world.

"If you’re able to apply it and put the money that needs to be - like Chelsea are the perfect model of putting the money in and reaping the rewards. I think that’s something that they could do with looking at."

Manchester United are one of the richest and most successful clubs in the world, backing up Zelem's point that they could have one of the best women's teams if they wanted to. But despite the rapid growth of the WSL, it seems many clubs are still putting all their efforts into the men's side of things, leaving so much room for growth and development elsewhere. United co-owner Ratcliffe, who has admitted the women's team wasn't a focus upon INEOS' arrival - is also overseeing a comprehensive cost-cutting regime at Old Trafford.

Zelem is back in England during the international break but was left out of Sarina Wiegman's latest squad. The Lionesses face the USA and Switzerland in the coming days and Zelem could be in attendance to cheer her team-mates on.