Alan Shearer has admitted he is unsure how much Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be able to impact Man United, but insisted the club’s ownership uncertainty over the past 12 months would have negatively affected the players on the pitch.
Ratcliffe took a 25 per cent stake at United on Christmas Eve for £1.3bn – subject to ratification from the Premier League – after a long-winded sale process that began in November 2022.
The British billionaire has plenty on his plate as he prepares to take control of football operations of a team down in eighth place in the Premier League table and has already pledged to invest £245m in the club.
While the hugely unpopular Glazers remain in ultimate control of United, there is hope the Ineos chief can bring some positive changes to the club.
And former Premier League winner Shearer – who briefly managed Newcastle during the despised Mike Ashley era – insisted that despite no one quite knowing what impact Ratcliffe will have, it is likely to be an improvement from the current situation.
Alan Shearer claimed he is unsure how much Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be able to impact Man United
The British billionaire finally took a 25 per cent stake at United on Christmas Eve for £1.3bn
‘How much Ratcliffe can actually do with his 25 per cent stake is difficult to gauge,’ he told The Athletic.
‘But nor do I believe that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have taken a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United to sit on their investment. It’s a serious proposition designed to have a serious impact.’
Shearer also tuned into his experiences as a player to explain how the uncertainty behind-the-scenes is likely to have impacted United and contributed to their extremely chaotic campaign so far.
Erik ten Hag has come under increasing pressure after overseeing 13 defeats in 26 games in all competitions this season.
This included an embarrassing group stage exit in the Champions League, where United finished bottom of a group that also featured Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.
And Shearer insisted how the uncertainty – which players ‘loathe’ – along with the poor performances and results would have all contributed to a cycle of negativity.
Erik ten Hag’s side have lost 13 of their 26 games across all competitions so far this season
Shearer insisted the ownership uncertainty would have impacted the players on the pitch
Shearer added: ‘When things don’t go as anticipated, then of course you talk about it, whether as a group or as individuals, over a coffee, sitting in the dressing room, out having a meal or over messages.
‘If you’ve been a Manchester United player over the past 12 months, there’s been precious little of that (certainty, calm and togetherness). The club’s prospective sale and its consequences will have wriggled its way into your brain. Might it mean a clean slate? If I’m out of favour, do I stick around?
‘Ultimately, players want to run onto the pitch with their minds clear and from the outside looking in, fogginess has been ingrained for a very long time.’
United entertain Aston Villa at Old Trafford at 8PM on Boxing Day, before then travelling to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest on December 30.
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