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Manchester United's new CEO Richard Arnold joined fans at the pub and opened up about how the club have f***ing burned through cash” in an extraordinary meeting.
On Saturday, a group of around 12 supporters from the 1958 had planned to protest outside the 51-year-old's house.
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In 2020, some fans had caused controversy when they threw flares and sung death chants about previous chief executive Ed Woodward.
It led to a strong statement from United, who condemned the behaviour.
But Arnold, who replaced Woodward in the position in February this year, moved to stop that from happening and instead met with the disgruntled fans at his local, the Boot Inn pub in Willington, Cheshire.
Went to protest at Richard Arnold's house and he turned up at the pub. pic.twitter.com/xsNUJaKpnB
— Paul, Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll) June 18, 2022
He paid for protesters' drinks and gave an honest assessment of the current situation United are in and wasn't afraid to dish the dirt on Woodward's performance.
To set the story straight...
— Gerry Deakin (@Gerry_Deakin) June 18, 2022
We met with Richard Arnold today after plans to go and protest outside his house got out and somehow got back to him (rats). So he came down to the pub where we were all meeting before going to his, which is also his local.
He gave us a heavily...
Scripted speach which none of us fell for. He said his hands are tied because he's not getting the investment he needs to make Man Utd great again. He was like another Neil Ashton full of PR nonsense. What he said, in not so many words, is that attacking sponsors affects the...
— Gerry Deakin (@Gerry_Deakin) June 18, 2022
Money he needs and that if it carries on the Glazers have to put their hands in their own pockets (no chance of that). He is there to run Manchester United as a business, not football club. So the sponsors getting angry at him and affecting his job is something he was trying...
— Gerry Deakin (@Gerry_Deakin) June 18, 2022
To put a stop to. If/when we get new owners in, he knows full well he wouldn't be the CEO. Why the fcuk would we have a Liverpool fan CEO from a Rugby background, not football. He tried, and failed miserably, to make us feel sorry for him. To summarise: he isn't s good guy...
— Gerry Deakin (@Gerry_Deakin) June 18, 2022
For getting us a few beers in (he's a multi-millionaire). He says he's against the dividends and doesn't agree with them being taking. He does genuinely want the best for the club but his hands are tied and new owners/protests/sponsor bashing just makes his job harder/obsolete...
— Gerry Deakin (@Gerry_Deakin) June 18, 2022
Part of the meeting was filmed and uploaded on social media. At one point in the video, Arnold explained: “We’ve f***ing burned through cash. We spent a billion pounds on players, we spent more than anyone in Europe.
“I am not thrilled with where we are, it doesn’t sit easy and we’ve got to get this sorted.
“You can’t go to our training ground and go, ‘show me where that billion pounds is here’.
“I don’t think we’ve done well with the money we’ve spent historically. We’ve blown through an enormous amount of money.
“Last year was a f***ing nightmare. I was hating every minute of it.”
Richard Arnold heard that a group of fans had gathered in a pub near his house.
— Callum McFadden (@Callum7McFadden) June 18, 2022
He decided to meet them, buy them a drink and speak to them about what the club is doing to deliver success on the pitch as well as discussing his hopes for infrastructure upgrades too.
Fair play. pic.twitter.com/wrEbiUnshr
Arnold has been with United since 2007, joining first as a group commercial director. In the meet-up, he confirmed that new manager Erik ten Hag will be able to strengthen a squad that finished in sixth position last season with their worst ever points tally.
Richard Arnold said Ten Hag has give his list to @ManUtd for the players he wants and he said the club are doing everything to get who he wants.
— Paul, Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll) June 18, 2022
He believes everything at the club is changing and heading in the right direction.
Fans: "You need to sort that joke of an admin out embarrassing us on Twitter."
— UtdStories (@UtdStories) June 18, 2022
Richard Arnold: “They're going and a new team are taking over, change is coming."
[@MufcWonItAll]#MUFC
But with problems in the club from the top to bottom, Arnold also revealed that the Red Devils need outside investment in order to renovate Old Trafford and the AON training complex.
"This summer, the money that the manager and director of football wants is there," he continued.
“For the future, for investing in a new stadium and that sort of stuff, for a £250m training ground, we’ve got to do something, we’ve got to get investors in.
“I need that to do what I want for the club — I’ve got to have more cash than I have now.”
One fan had asked Arnold for an update on the pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong.
Manchester United CEO Richard Arnold when he was asked by a fan if Frenkie De Jong transfer is done. pic.twitter.com/jT70VZvBrT
— Kyama ⚽ (@ElijahKyama) June 18, 2022
Only the thing Richard Arnold said regarding transfers:
— Paul, Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll) June 18, 2022
"United officials are in Barcelona getting the deal done for De Jong" & "everyone is working all day & all night to get it over the line, I haven't slept in the last few days"
Wouldn't say anything else on other players.
Basically Richard Arnold said officials are in Barcelona sorting the de Jong deal as we speak.
— Paul, Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll) June 18, 2022
Fans: "Stop blagging us and just be honest"
— Paul, Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll) June 18, 2022
Arnold: "Look we're doing everything we can to get De Jong and I'm telling you the money is there for him."
Arnold aimed a dig at his predecessor, Woodward, when he said, "Do you want me buying the players? Doesn’t that ring a bell?"
He was asked about leaks from the dressing room, which led to him reminding fans that Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard had both left following their contracts expiring.
Richard Arnold on the players leaking stuff to the media from dressing room:
— Paul, Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll) June 18, 2022
"As you know Paul Pogba and Lingard have now left the club."
According to one of the fans in attendance, Pogba was also called a "twat" by Arnold.
Richard Arnold:
— Paul, Manc Bald and Bred (@MufcWonItAll) June 18, 2022
"United as a club knew Pogba was a Twat, You fans knew he was a Twat." 😉
The face-to-face meeting was the first that fans had with an official from United in 17 years and was a historic, watershed moment.
Fans have long voiced their displeasure against owners the Glazers, notably storming Old Trafford and successfully getting the visit of Liverpool postponed last year.
Featured Image Credit: Image: Twitter/@MufcWonItAll
Topics: Manchester United, Ed Woodward, Premier League
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