Sir Jim Ratcliffe singles out Casemiro transfer as 'reason to shake up Man Utd’ recruitment

Prospective Manchester United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe cited last summer’s Casemiro transfer as a reason to shake up the club’s recruitment policy, it has been claimed.

Ratcliffe, whose bid to purchase 25 per cent of United is expected to be voted on during a board meeting on Thursday, reportedly questioned United’s transfer policy during his visit to the club in March.

According to a fresh Guardian report, the petrochemicals billionaire believes United run a productive commercial operation but that investment in the squad could be improved.

Ratcliffe raised this note during the presentation given to him by the United hierarchy on March 17 at the club’s Carrington training base.

The club’s CEO Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough were reportedly among those in attendance.

Ratcliffe is said to have suggested that players signed by United in the past few seasons had not been the most prudent.

The publication claims he pointed to Casemiro’s €60million (£52million) singing the previous August as an example of questionable business, with the then-30-year-old having been given a four-year contract of around £350,000 a week.

While Casemiro starred for United in his debut season, scoring in February’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle, this term he has appeared off the pace and his form has faltered.

Nevertheless, Nice, one of the clubs in Ratcliffe’s vast sporting portfolio, recruited Aaron Ramsey, Kasper Schmeichel and Ross Barkley alongside seven further signings the same summer Casemiro joined United.

Schmeichel was 35 at the time and signed a three-year contract for £1million from Leicester.

Meanwhile, Ramsey, then 31, and Barkley, then 28, came on free transfers and were given one-year contracts.

All three players left Nice this summer.

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Topics: Football, Manchester United, Casemiro, Transfers, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.