Ratcliffe suffers fresh blow at Man Utd as 'popular' staff member leaves

Manchester United have suffered another blow with a 'hugely popular' staff member leaving Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s set-up at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have endured several high-profile departures this season. Erik ten Hag was sacked in October, followed by sporting director Dan Ashworth earlier this month.

Now, Mail+ reports that Omar Meziane, United’s head chef, has decided to step down.

Meziane will take up a new role in Formula One with McLaren, who are direct rivals to Mercedes—a team part-owned by INEOS, Ratcliffe’s company, since 2020.

Highly regarded at Carrington, Meziane was praised for his innovative approach to player nutrition.

Having previously worked with England’s football and cricket teams, he brought variety to United’s meals and crafted tailored nutrition plans for players.

During trips abroad and pre-season tours, Meziane incorporated local cuisines, allowing players to experience the culture.

Meziane also travelled with the squad to away games, arriving early to oversee food preparation at team hotels.

His departure creates a vacancy for a new head chef—one of many roles United must now fill.

The club is also bracing for Marcus Rashford's likely departure, which appears increasingly inevitable.

The forward has openly expressed his desire for a "new challenge," admitting he’s ready to leave the club he’s called home for 20 years.

United are reportedly willing to let Rashford go, either in January or at the end of the season, but manager Ruben Amorim continues to push for him to stay.

Speaking earlier this week, Amorim addressed the situation: "As a coach, I am just focused on the performance, the way he trains. And the rest, I think it is better for me and the club to deal with that when the time comes.

"At the moment, I am just focused on improving Marcus. We need a lot in this moment the talented guys like Marcus and I forget for now the interview. I just see what I see on the pitch."

As Rashford’s future remains uncertain, the loss of Meziane adds another layer of complexity to the challenges facing United behind the scenes.