Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire, is set to acquire a 25% stake in Manchester United with a £1.3 billion buy-in on Monday. As he takes charge of the club's football operations, Ratcliffe is planning a major overhaul of United's player scouting and acquisition network. The move comes as a response to the club's extravagant spending of £1.4 billion on transfers in the last decade, which has yielded little success.

Overseeing Expensive Purchases

CEO Richard Arnold, football director John Murtough, and director of football operations David Harrison are all at risk of losing their jobs due to their role in the club's costly purchases. Following the departure of former chief Ed Woodward, United's transfer spending has come under scrutiny. Ratcliffe, a lifelong fan of the club, is shocked by the amount spent relative to the lack of success achieved.

A Decade of Expensive Flops

Since the retirement of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United has splashed out on several high-profile flops. The list includes Paul Pogba for a club-record fee of £89 million, Antony for £85.5 million, Romelu Lukaku for £75 million, Jadon Sancho for £73 million, Angel Di Maria for £59.7 million, Anthony Martial for £44.5 million, and Donny van de Beek for £40 million. Despite the significant investment, the club has failed to win the Premier League title since 2013 and has only secured one FA Cup, two League Cups, and a Europa League title during this period.

Ratcliffe's Plans for Change

Erik ten Hag, the current manager, has spent £374 million on initial transfer fees since taking charge. However, Ratcliffe acknowledges ten Hag's achievements from last season, including a third-place league finish and Carabao Cup success. Ratcliffe has already had discussions with co-chairman Joel Glazer regarding the club's football structure, and his buy-in is expected to lead to a series of new appointments. Players such as Antony, Sancho, and Martial are reportedly on the chopping block and could be offloaded in January.