Sir Alex Ferguson is officially leaving his paid ambassador role with Manchester United. The legendary coach previously managed the club from 1986 until 2013. With the Scot at the helm, the Red Devils collected an incredible 13 Premier League titles. Ferguson also grabbed five FA Cup trophies and a pair of UEFA Champions League triumphs.
Following his retirement as a coach, Ferguson transitioned into an ambassador position at the club. While his exact duties in the role were a bit vague, team brass rewarded the legend with a significant salary. The Scot was receiving $2.8 million annually in the position.
The Athletic is reporting that Ferguson was told that he would no longer receive the contract during a recent face-to-face meeting. The consultation was with United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Sources with the news outlet claim that the former manager handled the move well. Ferguson is expected to remain a non-executive director at United and will likely still attend matches at Old Trafford.
Ratcliffe faces criticism at United again for axing Ferguson
According to The Athletic, the decision ultimately came down to reducing costs at the club. Ratcliffe has essentially attempted to clean house and limit spending since arriving in February. The British billionaire, however, has received heat throughout his short time at the club for making several unpopular moves.
Ratcliffe previously canceled an annual awards party for United’s women’s team without informing the players. Instead, those involved with the women’s side had to learn about the decision via social media. The move came at a time in which some women’s players at the club felt “disregarded” compared to others at rival teams.
The new minority owner also opted to fire around 250 total employees at the club. This particular figure represents around 20% of their entire workforce. The decision is expected to save United around $12 million. Some of these employees were non-soccer staff.
Nevertheless, several of those departing were youth coaches. Much like previous incidents involving Ratcliffe, the coaches fired also reportedly felt blindsided by the call. The Athletic also claims that Ratcliffe’s decision to make major cuts within the organization saddened Ferguson.
United continues to spend heavily on player transfers
Despite the cost-cutting measures, United remains to be one of the biggest English spenders in the transfer market. They have shelled out around $718 million on a series of new players since the summer of 2022. This timeframe coincides with the hiring of head coach Erik ten Hag.
Nevertheless, many high-priced transactions in recent years have not exactly panned out. Undoubtedly, the worst deal by United brass during this time was Antony’s $103 million move from Ajax. The winger has five goals and three assists in 53 total Premier League matches with the Red Devils.
Antony, however, is not exactly the lone hiccup in the team’s transfer plans. Several other new players, including Casemiro, Mason Mount, and Andre Onana have all faced criticism as well.
Ten Hag’s future with United is also up in the air after yet another slow start to the season. Assuming that club brass ends up firing their manager, they will have to pay the Dutchman a hefty settlement. This comes just months after the team shockingly rewarded the coach with a contract extension.
