Gary Neville slams Manchester United for 'truly awful' timing of Sir Jim Ratcliffe deal announcement

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's acquisition of a quarter share in Manchester United was announced on Christmas Eve (December 24). But this announcement has drawn sharp criticism from club legend Gary Neville for its timing.

The investment by the Ineos Group chief has marked the end of a prolonged saga that has spanned over a year. The situation surrounding Manchester United's ownership has had speculation and anticipation.

The newly announced deal comes 13 months after the Glazer family initially expressed interest in exploring their options. This had included potentially selling their stake in the club, which eventually did not happen.

The journey to the eventual agreement with Sir Jim Ratcliffe saw Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani businessman push for outright ownership of the club. However, in October, Sheikh Jassim withdrew his bid, paving the way for Ratcliffe to focus on acquiring a significant minority stake.

The financial specifics of this deal are staggering, as Ratcliffe's Ineos Group is expected to shell out around £1.25 billion for this stake. This investment is not just a financial transaction but is also expected to bring about an overhaul in the club's footballing operations.

Furthermore, Ratcliffe has reportedly committed an additional £245 million towards refurbishing the club's aging infrastructure and stadium.

Despite these developments, the announcement's timing has not sat well with everyone, especially with former United defender Gary Neville. The club legend took to X to express his dismay at the decision to unveil this deal on Christmas Eve:

"Manchester United 2023 has been a disgrace to the end. The timing of this is truly awful and no functioning organisation would even think about it. Anyway all the very best to Jim Radcliffe and I hope he can somehow work out a way to get the club right again and back to being something respectable on and off the pitch."

Ratcliffe has bought 25% shares in Manchester United in both Class A and Class B shares.

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Southampton has set their sights on Amad Diallo; Manchester United willing to let talent leave on loan

According to Football Insider (via Team Talk), Southampton have emerged as a frontrunner in the pursuit of Manchester United's young winger Amad Diallo.

The chase for Diallo's signature is heating up, as the Saints find themselves in competition with several top Championship clubs and European teams. However, their interest in him isn't new, as they had previously eyed a move for the winger in the summer transfer window.

However, their plans were thwarted when Diallo suffered a substantial knee injury during pre-season, delaying any potential move. Now, with the January window opening and Diallo on the mend, Southampton is reigniting its pursuit for a loan move.