Richard Keys claims insider information on why Man Utd failed to land Thomas Tuchel

Manchester United failed to hire Thomas Tuchel as a replacement for Erik ten Hag because Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a cheapskate, according to Richard Keys.

Ratcliffe and his INEOS colleagues assessed their options before eventually flying out to Ibiza to inform Ten Hag that he would remain in place as United manager for the 2024/25 season. The Dutchman only received confirmation after months of speculation in which United’s new owners openly courted other managers.

One of those they spoke to was Tuchel, who is available this summer after leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season. The German boss met Ratcliffe in Monaco and laid out his plans for if he took over from Ten Hag, but the INEOS billionaire chose not to pull the trigger.

Ratcliffe and the other key decision makers at United, including his right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford, have been pondering the decision ever since the deal went through in February. And the way they have ended this decision has been heavily criticised by beIN SPORTS presenter Keys.

He wrote in his blog: “What on earth is Sunny Jim doing at United? After hawking Ten Hag’s job around Europe since the end of the season it turns out the incumbent keeps stays in post – although he was only fourth choice. What rank amateurism.

“The players must be on the floor. To a man they expected Ten Hag to get the sack. What does Ratcliffe think will change? If he’d offered a proper salary I’m told Tuchel would’ve said ‘yes’. But Ratcliffe is trying to do everything on the cheap. £35m for [Jarrad] Branthwaite? He’s having a laugh and it will bite him. He’ll also have to sack Ten Hag before Christmas."

United have made a proposal to Everton to sign Branthwaite for £35m plus £8m in achievable add-ons. But Everton value the young defender at closer to £70m, meaning the transfer saga could rumble on all summer, unless United walk away.

Thomas Tuchel

Ratcliffe has indeed made it clear that he wants to save money since taking over the running of the club from the Glazer family. He is aiming to cut jobs and has made sweeping changes to the senior management who conduct transfer business.

"They haven't got the manager selection right, haven't bought well," Ratcliffe told The Times in 2019. "They have been the dumb money, which you see with players like Fred. United have spent an immense amount since Ferguson left and been poor, to put it mildly. Shockingly poor, to be honest.

“We (INEOS) have a different approach here to be moderately intelligent about it – try to do it more grassroots, trying to locate young talent. Some clubs seem to have an ability to do that, Southampton, Lille. United have done it really poorly. They have lost the plot."

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