Man United staff are given one WEEK to decide on mass voluntary resignation offer - as Sir Jim Ratcliffe makes dramatic move to cut costs following INEOS' part-takeover

Manchester United co-owners Ineos are ready to make savage cuts after emailing all non-football staff on Tuesday inviting them to take redundancy.

The mood at Old Trafford and Carrington plummeted just four days after United celebrated winning the FA Cup by beating Manchester City at Wembley.

Ineos have been conducting an economy drive since Sir Jim Ratcliffe made a £1.3billion investment and appointed corporate restructuring consultants Interpath to look at ways of cutting costs across the company.

It’s anticipated that up to a fifth of the 1,100 workforce could go as United look to save money.

Staff received the email on Tuesday and were given a week to decide if they want to give up their jobs by agreeing to ‘voluntary resignation’.

It confirmed their fears that job cuts have been inevitable since Ratcliffe’s minority takeover was confirmed at Christmas.

The Ineos billionaire has already got tough with staff earlier this month by ordering anyone still working from home to return to the office immediately ‘or seek alternative employment’, and demanding that Old Trafford and Carrington be kept tidy because some areas were ‘a disgrace’.

Ratcliffe is seeking to clash costs after completing a £1.3billion deal to take over 27.7 per cent of the club - and footballing operations - in February. 

United's staff costs were £95.1million in the latest reporting period, with their wage bill for 2022-23 totalling £384.1m.

United posted record revenue of £648.4m in their 2022-23 accounts but lost £42m.

Staff have also been unhappy after being told that they would only get one ticket each for the Cup Final and the club would no longer pay for their travel and meals, as it had in previous years.

Employees had to pay for the £20 return coach fare to Wembley as well as their only food and drinks at service stations. 

Mail Sport understands that 50 more staff than last year refused to take a ticket for the FA Cup final because many were unhappy over Ineos’ cost-cutting measures.

Some Manchester United employees were left fuming after the club treated the players’ wives and girlfriends to a swanky meal at a top restaurant — 24 hours after scrappingthe FA Cup final perks. 

In a tradition thought to date back to Sir Matt Busby, Old Trafford staff have been given free tickets plus travel to and from Wembley, a pre-match lunch, an after-match party and accommodation in the capital. Senior staff and directors could also take friends and family.

Indeed, the lunch is thought to have been one of a number of social events on the calendar. The view is that the happiness of the players’ families is essential to keeping Erik ten Hag’s squad settled and helps expensive acquisitions feel welcomed at the club.

An email outlining the changes did not go down well with staff and some were further agitated to learn 24 hours later that the other halves of United’s highly-paid stars were out for lunch — with the club picking up the tab.

The partners of players including Scott McTominay, Luke Shaw, Antony and Aaron Wan-Bissaka headed out to posh restaurant San Carlo, and were spotted leaving with Harvey Nichols and Manchester United-branded goody bags.

United went on to beat City 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday courtesy of goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. 

‘It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth,’ one employee, who did not wish to be named, told Mail Sport. ‘The trip to Wembley has been a tradition that staff have enjoyed for years.

'It’s a thank you for the work that we do and it means when the team does well, we all get rewarded. Clearly they are cutting costs but to see that less than a day later the WAGs are out on the town with the club paying the bill is a bit rich.’ 

United insiders dismissed the disgruntlement, pointing out that the club has what it believes to be the best player-care department in the top flight.

This ensures that the most important people at the club — the players — are looked after in a comfortable environment.