Pundit Rio Ferdinand has now claimed that three key Manchester United figures are going to need “time” to fix an all-important issue at the Premier League club.
Ruben Amorim is in the United States with his Manchester United first-team squad and are preparing ahead for the 2025-26 Premier League season at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils kicked off the US leg of their summer tour with the first win of their pre-season under Ruben Amorim, with United defeating West Ham on Sunday.
A stunning brace from Bruno Fernandes ensured that United beat West Ham 2-1 at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford for their Premier League Summer Series tie.
United have two more Premier League Summer Series matches as part of their visit to the States and the Red Devils will be back in action on Thursday in Chicago.
The Red Devils will meet fellow Premier League side Bournemouth at the Soldier Field, with kick-off for the friendly tie in Illinois slated for 2:30am UK time.
Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesRio Ferdinand singles out a major issue that Man Utd are now facing under the Ineos regime at Old Trafford
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has been undergoing a first-team squad rebuild at Old Trafford after the end of the Red Devils’ disastrous 2024-25 season.
The 40-year-old football coach largely inherited his United squad at the Red Devils after Amorim arrived from Portuguese outfit Sporting CP last November.
Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe splashed out on a summer spending spree last summer to back Erik ten Hag, who was sacked last October, ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand said that Amorim, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are being held back by United’s past mistakes in the window.
“They’re hampered by the past,” he explained.
‘It’s going to take time and it’s one of the things Berrada [club CEO], Jason Wilcox [director of football] and the manager [Amorim] will be really frustrated with.
“The goings on that happened before they got here are really hampering things in the recruitment area because of the high prices they’ve paid, the high wages they’ve paid.”
Rio Ferdinand highlights one Man Utd example that is holding back Ruben Amorim, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox
Amorim has seen brand-new signings arrive at United this summer and the Red Devils have brought in the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon.
However, Ferdinand pointed out that key figures from the previous United regime inflated the wages of players and the club will now struggle to offload talent.
“They’ve paid over the odds for most of these guys, so it’s difficult to move someone if he’s on £200,000-a-week and his current value in the market is £100,000-a-week,” he continued.
“Do you think he’s going to go anywhere? I wouldn’t.”
Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who became United co-owner after his 2023 minority stake purchase, previously warned about the Red Devils’ cash-strapped situation.