According to the Mirror, the business game had a negative impact on Manchester United. After the disappointing 2024-25 season, Manchester United flew over 6,600 miles to Kuala Lumpur for business activities. Despite 60 unsatisfactory games, the club...
According to the Mirror, the business game had a negative impact on Manchester United.
After the disappointing 2024-25 season, Manchester United flew over 6,600 miles to Kuala Lumpur for business activities. Despite 60 unsatisfactory games, the club's senior management decided to add two more games. CEO Omar Berrada made it clear when announcing the plan in early April: "The Tour can bring considerable additional revenue, make the club stronger and allow us to continue to succeed on the court."
At that time, however, there was already concern that Manchester United's policymakers might once again put the club in an awkward situation, all for about $10 million (£7.8 million). This is the reality of Sir Ratcliffe's era: a stingy petrochemical billionaire.
The $16.7 billion (£12.4 billion) person is laying off hundreds of employees and sending exhausted players around the world to please sponsors and spread Manchester United's reputation, the £7.8 million revenue now doesn't seem to be cost-effective, according to Forbes. The sluggish sentiment that has been shrouded in the club this season has become stronger after losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final and has become an ubiquitous presence now. Garnacho's half-hearted autographs and videos of the players walking down to the screaming fans were bad enough, let alone the actual game, which should have been the main purpose of their trip.
Manchester United lost 0-1 to the ASEAN All-Star team in Wednesday's game. Among the 84,000 spectators who came to the Malaysian capital, some even paid £260 for tickets, booed the team after the game. In a season full of troughs, Manchester United actually hit a new low. It's embarrassing, and it's obvious who's responsible. Manchester United lost the players through this ridiculous PR disaster of making money.
Even if they have a good performance in the domestic league or beat Tottenham in Bilbao, the players won't be willing to take the trip, which is why this is Manchester United's first post-season tour. The tour has just started a few days ago, and there has been a backlash. Although Cunha has decided to transfer from Wolves to Manchester United for £62.5 million, other target players may not be the case.
Manchester United better hope they are enjoying the holiday without opening social media or reading newspapers. Because who really wants to join this mess? They are a bad football team now and more importantly, a painful and divided team. This summer, they will be a revolving door, with a large number of players leaving the team while desperately finding people who are willing to join. They will not be able to compete in any European competition next season, and the Carrington training base is said to have lost its vitality and was drained by Ratcliff's layoffs.
This is what players like Drapp must evaluate at the moment. Drapp is expected to leave Ipswich for £30 million. It is understood that he is choosing between Manchester United and Chelsea. At present, this decision is very simple.
This ridiculous post-season tour perfectly embodies the characteristics of the Ratcliff era: commercially savvy but visually unattractive, it could do a great job of damage to the planned lineup restructuring this summer.
