Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants Mercedes F1 engineer to improve Man Utd’s transfer strategy after slamming club’s data analysis
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE could lean on his Formula One connections to try and bring Manchester United back into pole position.
Ratcliffe, who has owned a minority share in Man Utd since December 2023, is reportedly considering hiring a Mercedes F1 engineer to help revolutionise the Red Devils’ data analysis.
According to the BBC, Ratcliffe could appoint Mercedes engineer Michael Sansoni at Old Trafford as he looks to bring the club’s use of data up to par with the clubs around them.
That’s after the billionaire Brit told Man Utd fanzine United We Stand that the club was “still in the last century of data analysis” and that it “doesn’t really exist here” in a recent interview.
Ratcliffe’s Ineos are part-owners of the Mercedes F1 team which would reportedly make any move to bring Sansoni to United much smoother.
While it’s understood that Sansoni is already set to call an end to his near 11-year stint with the the F1 team.
Ratcliffe has claimed that Man Utd’s data analysis directly correlates to their poor recruitment over recent seasons.
He told United We Stand: “Until we’re are as good as anyone in the world, then it’s not good enough for Manchester United. We must have the best recruitment in the world.
“Data analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn’t really exist here. We’re still in the last century on data analysis here.
“There’s an immense amount of useful data that we can get from data analysis and we’re in the ‘very poor’ bracket with data analysis here. These things don’t happen overnight.”
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United have spent over £900MILLION on transfers over the last five seasons, a figure only exceeded by Chelsea, Arsenal and neighbours Manchester City.
All three of those clubs are currently battling out for European places, while United languish in 14th spot in the Premier League table – having won just 10 of their 32 league games this season.
Huge transfer sums have been invested in players that have been unable to succeed at the Theatre of Dreams in recent season.
The £85m arrival of Antony has resulted in the Brazilian heading out on loan, while Jadon Sancho also left the club for Chelsea this season after his £73m move from Dortmund didn’t go to plan.
Meanwhile £47m goalkeeper Andre Onana – the fourth most expensive keeper in history – was dropped from the United matchday squad altogether this weekend.
The Cameroon shot-stopper was left out of Man Utd’s 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle on Sunday after making two huge mistakes during the club’s 2-2 Europa League draw with Lyon last Thursday.
Man Utd ratings vs Newcastle as Zirkzee does well before injury but dropped Onana's stand-in has a shocker
MANCHESTER UNITED’S worst ever Premier League season was confirmed with a 4-1 defeat to Newcastle.
The Red Devils are now guaranteed to finish on less than 56 points, which is their lowest ever Prem total.
And they can only get that high if they win ALL of their last six games.
If they’re not careful, they could even finish 17th – just one spot above the marooned bottom three.
It was another dark day that reflects a poor campaign for United as Newcastle carved them open with ease in the second-half.
Ruben Amorim dropped keeper Andre Onana after his horror show against Lyon midweek.
But stand-in Altay Bayindir had a game to forget too.
Sandro Tonali’s volley, a double by Harvey Barnes and a Bruno Guimaraes finish cancelled out Alejandro Garnacho’s goal.
Here is how SunSport’s Gary Stonehouse rated the United performances…