'Plaster on a gaping wound' - Man Utd legends crucify Sir Jim Ratcliffe for falling standards and urge Red Devils to become 'proper football club' again

The INEOS chief's grandiose announcement of a £2 billion plan to construct a 100,000-seater stadium comes at a time when United are struggling with finances and have undertaken several cost-cutting measures in the last 12 months. The morale within the club is also believed to be at an all-time low as the Red Devils are struggling in 13th place in the Premier League under new manager Ruben Amorim.

One of the most debated sporting moves under Ratcliffe’s ownership has been the decision to dismiss Dan Ashworth from his role as sporting director in December - just months after United worked extensively to lure him from Newcastle. With inconsistency on the pitch and a series of controversial decisions off it, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs believe the club has lost its identity.

Ashworth's exit has particularly angered Butt, who minced no words to express his disappointment in an interview with the Daily Mail.

"Over the years, Man United has looked like it's a plaster on a gaping wound," he said. "It doesn't work. They haven't got the finances, they have to get their house in order, they have to be a proper football club that work to a design, an ethos and a recruitment drive of how to get players in and get them out for big money. Obviously, they've got rid of Dan Ashworth, which I thought was a strange one, having worked so hard to get him from Newcastle. I think even if you got David Gill and Sir Alex back there, it's going to be a struggle for a long time. We're at the bottom of the mountain and there's a massive climb to get up."

Another former United great, Giggs, also weighed in on the current state of the club and emphasised the need for young, ambitious players rather than individuals simply looking for huge wages or an easy career end.

"I've said for a long time that we need young, hungry players who want to play for the club," he stated. "People who realise it's not going to be an easy ride and a bit of a soft touch; come and finish your career or get money you perhaps don't deserve. I think there's been some harsh and truthful words being spoken over the last couple of months by Jim Ratcliffe and Ruben Amorim. Maybe it was needed, we'll have to wait and see."

Furthermore, the club’s rising ticket prices at Old Trafford have sparked outrage among United supporters, with several fan groups publicly criticising the ownership. With the team struggling for form, internal instability growing and fan unrest intensifying, Ratcliffe finds himself under increasing pressure to prove that his vision for United is the right one.