'Man Utd have spent £750m since I left and they are now worse' says ex manager

Former Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has delivered a scathing critique of the club’s £750 million transfer expenditure since his departure, asserting that basic structural issues remain unresolved.

His comments, made amid United’s 14th-place Premier League struggle, reignite debate about the club’s mismanagement under the Glazer ownership and co-owner Jim Ratcliffe.

Rangnick, now managing Austria, reflected on his 2021-22 stint at United, where he identified the need for “basic changes” to address systemic problems.

Speaking to Sky Germany, he remarked, “They needed to make a few basic changes [when I was there], and since then they’ve spent £700/750m!”

He argued that despite signings like Antony (£86m) and Casemiro (£60m), United’s issues—poor recruitment, tactical incoherence, and a bloated squad—persist, as evidenced by their 38 goals in 33 matches this season.

Rangnick’s call for an “open heart surgery” during his tenure was ignored, leading to his exit and Erik ten Hag’s appointment.

"In the end. That a few basic things need to be changed and since then £700million or if not £750million has been spent on new players," he told Canal + Austria. "And in the table, they are even significantly worse than back then.

"They could actually, with a win in the Europa League, still save this season. Because then they will be in the Champions League.

"Everything else would be a disappointment and it will be interesting to see what will happen. They have signed a coach in the middle of the season who plays with a three or a five-back, and their squad was built based on a four-back system.

"This is what you see when you see them play, especially in Premier League games against the opponents against which Manchester United normally has to win.

"Sure, in the Europa League, they have - usually with the result against Lyon, you are eliminated - they have turned it around. And of course, the stadium had a huge effect."

United’s current woes under Ruben Amorim, including 11 set-piece goals conceded and 13 goalless games, validate Rangnick’s diagnosis.

His comments echo David de Gea’s recent criticism of Antony’s loan exit to Real Betis, highlighting a pattern of squandered talent.

X posts, like @Utd_Forever7’s claim, “He was always right,” and @Record_Sport’s note that Rangnick “rinses” United, reflect fan agreement, though some, like @kimischilling, argue the Glazers’ debt servicing stifles progress.

Ratcliffe’s 28.94% stake, acquired for £1.3 billion, has not stemmed the tide, with his cost-cutting measures—450 job cuts, ticket price hikes, and ending Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassador role—sparking fan protests.

His reported plan to sell OGC Nice to fund a full United takeover, aims to ease Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) constraints, but United’s pursuit of players like Matheus Cunha (£62.5m) and Jonathan Tah (free agent) hinges on sales of Rashford or Casemiro.

Rangnick’s critique is compelling but oversimplifies United’s plight. The £750m spend includes hits like Bruno Fernandes but also flops like Antony, reflecting poor recruitment rather than mere spending.

Amorim’s Europa League semi-final success, bolstered by Harry Maguire’s Bilbao heroics, offers hope, per the Mirror, but systemic issues—debt, ownership disputes, and tactical flux—persist.

As United face Brentford, Rangnick’s words underscore a club at a crossroads, needing more than transfer fixes to restore its stature.