Former Premier League CEO Keith Wyness has vehemently denounced Manchester United’s recent staffing cuts under new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Reports indicate the club was preparing to dismiss over 100 employees—adding to the 250 already made redundant in 2024—as part of a broader strategy to stem mounting losses. The latest plan, targeting major cuts at the Carrington staff canteen, has been described by Wyness as “another PR disaster.”
Speaking on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness expressed disbelief that a club of Manchester United’s stature would quibble over such minutiae. Recalling his tenure at Villa, where he introduced a staff canteen to foster camaraderie and reduce lengthy lunch breaks, he contended that while downsizing might be necessary, the club should ideally operate with around 800 staff members—not the bloated 1100 currently employed.
Wyness’s scathing critique underscores his view that the execution of these cuts is both mismanaged and emblematic of deeper issues within the club’s leadership under INEOS. Meanwhile, on the pitch, Manchester United continue to struggle, having recently crashed out of the FA Cup to Fulham and languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.
