Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has reportedly offered to personally finance the travel and tickets for 30 club staff members and their families to attend the Europa League final.
This thoughtful action is aimed at raising spirits among the staff following a challenging six months since Amorim took charge at Old Trafford.
Coaches, physios, and other support staff were previously informed by the club that they would not receive funding for family members or friends to attend the final against Tottenham in Bilbao.
However, the Portuguese boss decided to step in, covering the expenses himself as a token of appreciation for their dedication and hard work since his arrival.
Amorim wishes to ensure that each of the 30 staff members can bring up to two family members or friends to the crucial match.
In contrast, the club`s management, under new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has limited players to just two complimentary tickets each and will not be paying for their guests` travel to Spain.
The upcoming final is a source of anxiety for many staff, particularly as 150 to 200 jobs are currently under threat as part of a new redundancy phase, following 250 job cuts last summer.
A defeat against Spurs would have significant financial repercussions for United, potentially costing them at least £100 million in lost revenue from failing to qualify for the Champions League, and possibly leaving them without any European football next season.
Amidst the backdrop of these severe cost-cutting measures implemented by Ineos, staff members are understandably concerned about further negative outcomes should United lose in Bilbao.
A source close to the club described the current atmosphere: “People say the environment is horrible to work in. Everyone is dispirited and looking over their shoulder.” The source added, “There’s no enthusiasm. I can’t imagine what it would be like if they don’t beat Spurs.”
Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly stated that job cuts and ticket price increases were necessary decisions made by him and majority owners Joel and Avram Glazer.
Ratcliffe claimed these actions were essential because United faced the risk of exhausting their funds by late 2025 and breaching financial sustainability rules, having accumulated losses of £300 million over the preceding three years.
The latest wave of redundancies was announced in February and deemed unavoidable regardless of the team`s performance this season.
Employees in most administrative departments who are at risk have been informed, and consultation processes are ongoing.
However, staff directly involved in football operations, including coaching, backroom, and scouting personnel, must await the end of the season to discover their fate.
This phased approach partially explains the wide estimate range for the total number of job losses.
Questions have been raised about the prudence of further reducing staff numbers.
At the close of the 2023-24 season, United had 1,140 employees, which was a larger workforce compared to other traditional `Big Six` clubs, with Liverpool employing the second-highest number at 1,011.
After last year`s redundancies, United`s staff count dropped to 890. The current process could potentially lower this number to approximately 700 staff members.
Based on 2024 figures, only Manchester City had fewer employees at 611. However, this figure doesn`t fully account for the operations managed by the City Football Group, which oversees multiple clubs globally.
