More change at Man Utd! Red Devils announce departures of two key executives as Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues overhaul

On Tuesday night, United confirmed with an official statement that CEO Patrick Stewart and CFO Cliff Baty will leave Old Trafford in the coming weeks, with their replacements to further increase INEOS presence in the day-to-day running of the club. Jean-Claude Blanc, who is the CEO of INEOS' sporting branch, will take over as interim chief executive until permanent appointment Omar Berrada begins work in July. Meanwhile, INEOS' former chief financial officer Roger Bell will succeed Baty.

Ratcliffe's presence at the Old Trafford is increasingly being felt as he adds more of his own appointments into key positions. Berrada, poached from Manchester City, was one of his first. The club has recently hired Jason Wilcox as technical director, while a deal for Dan Ashworth as sporting director is being worked on. Blanc is a long-term trusted aide, as is Sir Dave Brailsford, who has conducted an in-depth audit of the sporting processes in recent months. Stewart had been serving an interim CEO in the wake of Richard Arnold's 2023 departure.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe said: "I would like to personally thank both Patrick and Cliff for their support in helping us get to know the club and making us feel welcome and I respect their decisions to now move on as we establish a new management team for the club."

The club faces a crucial few months this summer ahead of next season, with the various new figures either starting work or becoming more accustomed to their environment and the expectations. A lot of that will happen behind the scenes, although fans will hope to see plenty of activity in the transfer market, despite widely reported limitations regarding budget.