'United would have run out of cash by the end of this year - by the end of 2025 - after having me put $300m in and if we buy no new players in the summer.'
A number of Manchester United players are "not good enough" while some others are being "overpaid", the club's co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said on Monday as manager Ruben Amorim faces an uphill task to turn around the side's fortunes.
Ratcliffe gave his backing to Amorim, who took charge in November following the sacking of Erik ten Hag, even though the Portuguese has struggled to turn around the team's fortunes with United down in 14th place in the Premier League.
Since the 40-year-old Portuguese took charge, United have won five of 17 league matches and exited both domestic cups.
Thousands of fans protested about the club's ownership before Sunday's draw with Arsenal and British chemicals billionaire Ratcliffe attempted to address their concerns in a wide-ranging BBC interview on Monday, saying many of the problems were already there when he acquired a 25% stake in his childhood club and took charge of football operations.
"We're buying Antony, we're buying Casemiro, we're buying (Andre) Onana, we're buying (Rasmus) Hojlund, we're buying (Jadon) Sancho... whether we like it or not, we've inherited those things and have to sort that out.
"For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea and we pay half his wages, we're paying 17 million pounds ($21.87 million) to buy him in the summer."
Sancho, whose fee was 73 million pounds when he joined in 2021, is currently on loan at Chelsea while winger Antony, who cost 81.5 million pounds, is on loan at Spanish club Real Betis.
"Some players are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time."
Ratcliffe has some sympathy for Amorim, saying the former Sporting coach is an "outstanding young manager".
"If I actually look at the squad which is available to Ruben, I think he is doing a really good job to be honest," Ratcliffe said. "I think he will be there for a long time.
"You are beginning to see a glimpse of what Ruben can produce. I think you saw a glimpse of it against Arsenal."
Ratcliffe, whose buy-in to the club was largely welcomed by the fans, said the 20-times English champions are in a period of transformation and that tough decisions are being made.
United have made job cuts this season and the 72-year-old Ratcliffe said the club would have run out of money by the end of the year if no corrective actions were taken.
He did, however, rule out selling youngsters such as Kobbie Mainoo and winger Alejandro Garnacho to help balance the books.
"The club had got bloated so we reduced that and will finish it with a lean and efficient organisation," he said.
"United would have run out of cash by the end of this year - by the end of 2025 - after having me put $300m in and if we buy no new players in the summer.
"It's an uncomfortable period and disruptive and I do feel sympathy with the fans ... My only interest here is returning Manchester United back to greatness again."
Ratcliffe said he fully-supported Amorim's tough stance on forward Marcus Rashford who was frozen out of the first team before joining Aston Villa on loan in January.
"He wants a dressing room that is full of people who are totally committed to winning football matches. He won't tolerate people who don't have 100% of that attitude. The players have to be in the same box," he said.
"(Rashford) has moved out of Manchester and maybe that's a good thing for him. I'm pleased he's doing well because he has got tremendous talent, but for whatever reason it wasn't working for the past couple of seasons."
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