Latest news with #SirJimRatcliffe
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Can Bryan Mbeumo be the ‘triple threat' that Manchester United's attack sorely needs?
When Sir Jim Ratcliffe gave a series of interviews from INEOS' headquarters in Knightsbridge a few months ago, one name came up more often than you might expect: Ian Graham. You probably know Graham as Liverpool's former director of research, who, alongside Michael Edwards, championed data science behind the scenes from a pokey box room at Melwood and ultimately played a key part in putting another of English football's behemothic clubs back on their perch. Graham left Liverpool in 2023 and, last year, published his book 'How to Win the Premier League'. Has Ratcliffe read it? Some of those close to the petrochemicals billionaire were not sure when asked by The Athletic, but said they would not be surprised. If Project 150 is to be completed, it should probably find its way to his bedside table sometime before 2028. Advertisement If he has read it, or when he does, Ratcliffe will learn that one of the key elements of Liverpool's data-influenced approach was Graham's 'possession value' model, which calculated if a player's every action in possession contributed to his team's chances of scoring or conceding a goal. Graham's model was partly inspired by Dean Oliver's concept of 'usage' in his book 'Basketball on Paper', which can also be broadly applied to its fellow 'invasion' sport: football. Put simply, this is the idea that a player can only score a goal if they shoot. But shooting often ends a spell of possession, and a team can only score if they have the ball. Sometimes it is more advantageous to play an extra pass or beat an opponent with a dribble. Ideally, your best attacking players should be capable of doing all three of those things, and should know when one or the other will improve their team's chances of scoring. They should be, what Graham calls, a 'triple threat'. 'These players are difficult to defend against,' he writes. 'They can choose to pass or dribble instead of shoot. And they use up fewer possessions than players whose only skill is shooting.' Liverpool's research department believed they had three 'triple threats' in Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. But they also considered each to have particular strengths which complemented the others. Firmino's ability to link play and find the right pass made the most of Salah's expert finishing, for example. For all the complex metrics and machine learning, here was an example of the simple, intuitive logic at the heart of Liverpool's title-winning data science. The best frontlines are balanced frontlines, where the players have complementary strengths and no clear weaknesses. So, how much attention was Ratcliffe paying by page 152, if indeed he has read that far? Advertisement The targeting, pursuit and long-awaited agreement to sign Bryan Mbeumo suggests at least some, because you would be hard-pressed to find another Premier League player who added more value to his team's attacks than the Brentford winger. Outside of Anfield, at least. According to StatsBomb's On-Ball Value (OBV) metric — a possession-value model of the type that was a cornerstone of Graham's work — only Salah added more value to his team's attacks last season than United's new £65million ($87.2m) signing. Those figures are total values rather than per 90 minutes, meaning players such as Salah and Mbeumo benefit somewhat from having consistently played a lot of football last season. Yet these metrics record both positive and negative contributions, punishing errors and mistakes harshly. Players with a lot of minutes have more opportunities to be both rewarded but also to be penalised. Still, Mbeumo ranked highly among his peers. Clearly, United will be hoping for a repeat of his 20 league goals — the fourth-most of any player last season and a career best for Mbeumo — although five came by dint of being Brentford's penalty-taker, a responsibility he is unlikely to assume from Bruno Fernandes. As has been well documented, Mbeumo overperformed his 12.3 expected goals (xG) significantly last term. That will almost certainly not be repeatable season after season at Old Trafford. Yet, last season was actually a down year on the underlying metrics for the 25-year-old, with his 2.08 shots and 0.20 non-penalty xG per 90 minutes being his lowest totals since becoming a Premier League player. Data by StatsBomb; vs Premier League attacking midfielders/wingers Mbeumo made up for that by ranking far better among his peers on value-added metrics, where his execution of shots helped turn low-quality chances into goals, ranking among the 89th percentile of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League. A repeat in United's colours could, in some ways, mitigate fellow new signing Matheus Cunha's tendency to shoot from range, which led to some spectacular goals from Wolverhampton Wanderers last season but, according to Shot OBV, was often detrimental to his team's chances of scoring. Data by StatsBomb; vs Premier League attacking midfielders/wingers Yet both players are more than just goalscorers anyway, and were arguably most influential as providers last term. Both ranked highly among players in their position for Pass OBV, with only three players adding more value to attacks than Mbeumo: Fernandes, Salah and his Brentford team-mate Mikkel Damsgaard. Advertisement For all that Mbeumo overperformed in terms of his goalscoring, the quality of the chances that he created for teammates suggests that he was unfortunate not to have racked up a couple more assists. As we can see from the map below, he was excellent at moving the ball into the box from his wide role, frequently finding players inside the six-yard box from corners, perhaps a product of Brentford's meticulous approach to set pieces. Crucially for United, both players stood out among the rest of the league as front-footed and progressive, whether that was passing or dribbling. It is something that Ruben Amorim's side sorely lacked, with often only Fernandes' playmaking driving the team up the pitch. Again, Mbeumo ranked highly for adding value to Brentford's attacks through his dribbling last season, with Cunha not far behind for Wolves. One player to outperform both was Amad, who may now see more minutes at wing-back this season as a result of United's spending targeting the two No 10 spots. Mbeumo could be more effective when dribbling, though, and more threatening on goal too. As well as he ranks on possession-value metrics, his raw volume in terms of shots, progressive carries and take-ons was below the Premier League average last season. Mbeumo often lingered on the edge of attacking moves and held the width at Brentford — though he could be decisive when he picked up the ball and looked to drive inside. It is not just penalties he could lose, either. A steady diet of set-piece duties has helped lift those eye-catching chance-creation numbers. Cunha held many of the same responsibilities at Molineux, too. But both are well-rounded attacking players who can shift the emphasis of an attack in various ways with the ball at their feet. The type that last season's often staid, predictable United attack badly needed. And particularly in the case of Mbeumo. Whether Ratcliffe has read Graham's book or not, there is a hint of its lessons in the identity of the biggest signing he has sanctioned at Old Trafford to date. United must hope they have found their own 'triple threat'. Additional reporting: Thom Harris (Lee Parker – CameraSport via Getty Images)
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Man Utd's new £50million training ground to have barbers and swimming pool after Cristiano Ronaldo complaints
MANCHESTER UNITED'S swanky new £50million training ground is set to open next month - and players will be treated to their very own BARBER SHOP. The Red Devils are pulling out all the stops to catch up to their rivals after Cristiano Ronaldo blasted the club's "stagnant" infrastructure during his second spell. 7 7 7 7 And with Sir Jim Ratcliffe taking on Ronaldo's words of wisdom a year ago, the five-star sporting complex will be ready to welcome back Ruben Amorim 's squad from their pre-season tour of the United States in August. The plans were drawn up by Ratcliffe's pals at Foster + Partners, who have also been brought in to build United's new 100,000-seater Wembley of the North by 2030. Meanwhile, Amorim and his players have been using academy team facilities over the past year while the two-tier first team building at their Carrington training ground was renovated. United are yet to publicly reveal images of the facility, but The Times report that it contains state-of-the-art equipment designed to help performance. Supposedly cash-strapped United funded the upgrade through Ratcliffe's £236million fresh capital investment to improving the club's infrastructure after purchasing a 27.7 per cent minority stake. Upstairs, there will be a recreational area for players to relax and they can also have their hair cut in a specifically-designed barbers room. It is believed to be the first training ground in the UK with a dedicated barbers. It remains to be seen whether United will employ their own club barber or allow players to bring in their own. 7 The idea behind having a barbers, a top-class canteen and new swimming pool at Carrington is to persuade the players to stay for longer, and not dash off home as soon as training is over. Team bonding is a must for Amorim, who hasn't enjoyed the summer reset he was hoping for, with several stars, including Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, still needing to be sold before next season. Juventus want Rashford! On the ground level, a flow system has been introduced that means the players visit the changing rooms, gym, pool, and medical and massage areas in the right order before they head out on to the pitches for their training session. State-of-the-art cryogenic chambers have been installed at Carrington and gym facilities have been upgraded. After returning to the club that made him in 2021, Ronaldo pointed out that the swimming pool was the same one since he left for Real Madrid in 2009. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner complained that "loose, chipped and missing tiles" within the pools were a safety hazard - and refused to use them. Senior figures felt the criticism was harsh, but Ineos accepted that the pool needed a revamp. 7 7 Windows have been installed in the corridor on the bottom floor because staff complained the areas mimicked a dingy NHS"hospital". Ineos also wanted the offices on second floor to be open plan, which is designed to improve collaboration between departments. The idea is that the training ground will become the club's base of operations, with several senior members of departments other than football, such as commercial, to be transferred from Old Trafford. In 2023, the club opened the £10million building shared between the women's and academy teams, which has been the temporary home of Amorim's squad during works to the first-team building. Ratcliffe's sporting director and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford had a huge input into the project, visiting similar facilities at American football teams. Collette Roche, United's chief operating officer, was in overall charge of the project. Carrington was a modern complex when United moved there in 2000 after leaving their former training ground The Cliff. But it had rotted away which is why some staff thought Ronaldo had a point when he said that it had 'stopped in time' after his return to United.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Man United transfer news: Bryan Mbeumo, Hugo Ekitike, Corentin Tolisso and more
Manchester United face a crucial summer as Ruben Amorim finally gets the chance to shape his squad and transform his failing team into contenders at the top end of the table. It shouldn't be forgotten that Amorim initially rebuffed United's approach following the sacking of Erik ten Hag, and perhaps he was wise to try and delay the move, because what followed was a disastrous campaign cuminating in the 1-0 loss to Tottenham in the Europa League final. Now Amorim has a full preseason to prepare his side and a summer transfer window to mould his squad before a season without European football, and he must take full advantage. The release of the Premier League fixtures shows a difficult start for United, with an opening game agasint Arsenal and fixtures against Manchester City and Chelsea within their first five matches of 2025/26, and the manager's future could be called into question early should his side struggle. United got some early business done with the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves in a £62.5m deal, but among interest in other targets including Bryan Mbeumo, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made clear that the money pot is not deep. Offloading high-wage players such as Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho seems key to funding the revolution, with a lack of movement causing frustration among fans as United lag behind their rivals. Here's everything you need to know about Manchester United's summer transfer plans. Areas to improve Perhaps it is easier to try and identify some parts of the team that don't need improvement. Three players could genuinely claim to have had decent seasons – Bruno Fernandes, Noussair Mazraoui and Amad Diallo – while Harry Maguire, Casemiro and Diogo Dalot all did OK in spells, but that is about the extent of United's reliable performers last season. Now that Matheus Cunha's arrival is secured, the top priorities are: sign a proven goalscorer, given the toils of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee up front; buy a goalkeeper to compete with (or outright replace) the error-prone Andre Onana; recruit a wing-back who can excel in Amorim's system. Done deals Ins: Matheus Cunha (Wolves, £62.5m agreed), Diego Leon (Cerro Porteno, undisclosed fee) Retained: Tom Heaton (signed new one-year deal after expiry of old contract) Outs: Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans (all out of contract) Potential targets Bryan Mbeumo, Brentford Mbeumo has emerged as United's top target at this point in the window, with the club eager to get the deal done before moving on to other signings. The 25-year-old has just enjoyed the best season of his career with 20 goals in 42 games, catching the eye of a raft of clubs in the process. United could deploy Mbeumo in one of their No 10 roles, and in the driving seat to sign the Cameroon international. However, the deal has stalled in recent weeks despite Mbeumo making it clear he only wants United, with fans getting frustrated at what is perceived to be a lack of negotiating nous. This is one that is expected to get done soon though, with United having submitted an improved bid worth £65m plus £5m in add-ons. Hugo Ekitike, Eintracht Frankfurt 22-year-old Frankfurt forward Ekitike is being considered by United and Liverpool after a season in which he scored 22 goals in all competitions, though it is Newcastle who have made the first move in the bid to sign the Frenchman, having made a bid in the region of €80m. The youngster is seen as a quality prospect in his homeland and seems to be finding his feet at the top level after an unsuccessful spell at PSG earlier in his career. The young striker is adept at linking play and dribbling as well as finishing, and early reports suggested that Frankfurt wanted to hold out for a fee of around €100m, though subsequent reports say that the German side could be tempted into a sale around the same £60m mark that Man City paid for Omar Marmoush. United are said to have made contact with both the player's camp and Frankfurt, though nothing is seen as advanced at this stage, with Liverpool leading the race. Corentin Tolisso, Lyon The latest rumour involving United sees them linked with Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso. The 31-year-old is coming off a decent season for the French side, and could be available for a cut-price fee due to the French side's financial troubles. Concrete links are yet to materialise, but he is thought to be available for £15m. Richard Rios, Palmeiras Another one with few concrete links, but reports in Brazil claim that United are interested in Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios. United sent scouts to watch the Colombia international during the Club World Cup, with the Brazilian side hoping to start negotiations around the £30m mark, though Rios has already said yes to a proposal from AS Roma and could be heading to Serie A. Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa United's search for a striker continues and while Cunha and Mbeumo will be solid attacking options, there remains a desire to add a recognised number nine to the squad if possible. Watkins was the subject of interest from Arsenal in January but with the Gunners set to sign United target Viktor Gyokeres, the England international could be a valid, Premier League-proven attacking option. Villa would want at least £60m for Watkins, though links with Old Trafford have gone quiet as United aim to wrap up a move for Mbeumo. Benjamin Sesko, RB Leipzig Another move that is currently considered unlikely, though the rumours refuse to go away. With Sesko no longer being linked with Arsenal, it seems he is being offered to other clubs who are known to be chasing a striker, including Liverpool and Chelsea.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Problems piling up for Ruben Amorim as Manchester United struggle to rebuild
The on-off Bryan Mbeumo saga and Liam Delap choosing Chelsea are troubling bellwethers of Manchester United's predicament a month from the start of the season. So, too, is having half an outfield first team in a bomb squad that skulks in for training in the late afternoon when those not in the same club-decreed quasi-shame have left for the day. As time ticks towards Arsenal's opening Premier League Sunday visit and, beyond, to the window's close on 1 September, Ruben Amorim can hardly be ecstatic at how the summer is progressing. The head coach has added only Matheus Cunha from Wolves, for the forward's £62.5m release clause, a sizeable chunk of a transfer budget constricted by a looming debt mountain and the need to sell to buy a No 9 and, possibly, finally prise Mbeumo from Brentford. Here we come to the infamous five: Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia are a quintet who, United claim, have informed the executive they want transfers. They have been ordered to train separately, which they are doing – at 5pm. It is hard to escape picturing them sneaking into Carrington as naughty schoolboys when Amorim and his squad have cleared the facility. United remain in flux – some may even insist chaos. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's back-of-house operation will have dramatically cut back the 1,100-plus employees he inherited when the latest round of redundancies is over, and the on-field product lost May's desultory Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham in Bilbao, finished an all-time Premier League low of 15th with 42 points and a minus 10 goal difference and was, according to Christian Eriksen, lucky not to be relegated. The Dane, who left this summer, has a case. Although United were 17 points clear of 18th-placed Leicester, an argument can be made that Amorim's side were a prolonged Bruno Fernandes injury away from a survival dogfight – at least. Fernandes is one more curio of a Ratcliffe project that has already lost a football director (Dan Ashworth) and a manager (Erik ten Hag). The oddity is that the captain has also not gone through the exit door. Reject £100m for a footballer who will be 31 three matches into the season at a club that lost £300m in the last three years and is £1bn-plus in debt? Strange is one verdict of the decision from Ratcliffe-Amorim, yet this is how Fernandes characterised the decision not to move to Al-Hilal. In June he said: 'I had to wait a while to think about the future. I would be willing to do it if United thought it was best to move on. I spoke with Ruben Amorim, who really tried to talk me out of it. I spoke to the club, who said they weren't willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.' 'If United thought it best to move on' and 'Amorim tried to talk me out of it' places the onus on the club not wanting him to depart. There is also a school of thought that despite Fernandes also saying his wife offered no preference either way – leaving the player to decide his future – not uprooting the family was a factor. United might not have cried if Fernandes had swung the other way given the desperately needed windfall that would have swelled the coffers. Fernandes is United's best player, by a distance, so Amorim's wish (backed by Ratcliffe) can be filed as prudent football sense, but United preparing to fly to Stockholm to face Leeds for Saturday's pre-season opener having signed only Cunha also blares transfer market dysfunction. This has been an issue since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013. In ordering Rashford, Garnacho, Sancho, Antony and Malacia to keep fit alone, Ratcliffe, Amorim and Ashworth's successor, Jason Wilcox, flag that all are personae non gratae whom the club are desperate to offload, markedly reducing their market value. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion When you possibly need to raise a few more million to land Mbeumo, trumpeting to the industry that five assets can be bought for a bargain is hardly a 4D-chess move. For Mbeumo, Brentford now want a total of nearer £70m, up from the £65m Ratcliffe and company understood last month would have had him joining Cunha in Amorim's squad. Ratcliffe is determined not to be pushed into paying over the odds so plays the patience game. But as the clock ticks you wonder how Amorim feels about the effect on preparation for the campaign. United have no European football for the first time since 2014-15, meaning the head coach will have more days to drill his team in his beloved 3-4-3. But, as he constantly says, the right players are needed to fit this. After Delap, the number-one centre-forward target, plumped for Chelsea – he is now a world champion – Amorim remains hopeful of signing a No 9. But given United's position in the market you could forgive the Portuguese being unsure whether Ratcliffe-Wilcox can pull off a deal – or seal Mbeumo's arrival. To further complicate matters, the goalkeeper André Onana will not be able to play on the US pre-season tour, and perhaps for longer, because of a hamstring injury. Eriksen also said: 'Next season it has to be better and I'm sure it will be.' Ratcliffe and his cohort have to show there is a plan B.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Problems piling up for Ruben Amorim as Manchester United struggle to rebuild
The on-off Bryan Mbeumo saga and Liam Delap choosing Chelsea are troubling bellwethers of Manchester United's predicament a month from the start of the season. So, too, is having half an outfield first team in a bomb squad that skulks in for training in the late afternoon when those not in the same club-decreed quasi-shame have left for the day. As time ticks towards Arsenal's opening Premier League Sunday visit and, beyond, to the window's close on 1 September, Ruben Amorim can hardly be ecstatic at how the summer is progressing. The head coach has added only Matheus Cunha from Wolves, for the forward's £62.5m release clause, a sizeable chunk of a transfer budget constricted by a looming debt mountain and the need to sell to buy a No 9 and, possibly, finally prise Mbeumo from Brentford. Here we come to the infamous five: Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia are a quintet who, United claim, have informed the executive they want transfers. They have been ordered to train separately, which they are doing – at 5pm. It is hard to escape picturing them sneaking into Carrington as naughty schoolboys when Amorim and his squad have cleared the facility. United remain in flux – some may even insist chaos. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's back-of-house operation will have dramatically cut back the 1,100-plus employees he inherited when the latest round of redundancies is over, and the on-field product lost May's desultory Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham in Bilbao, finished an all-time Premier League low of 15th with 42 points and a minus 10 goal difference and was, according to Christian Eriksen, lucky not to be relegated. The Dane, who left this summer, has a case. Although United were 17 points clear of 18th-placed Leicester, an argument can be made that Amorim's side were a prolonged Bruno Fernandes injury away from a survival dogfight – at least. Fernandes is one more curio of a Ratcliffe project that has already lost a football director (Dan Ashworth) and a manager (Erik ten Hag). The oddity is that the captain has also not gone through the exit door. Reject £100m for a footballer who will be 31 three matches into the season at a club that lost £300m in the last three years and is £1bn-plus in debt? Strange is one verdict of the decision from Ratcliffe-Amorim, yet this is how Fernandes characterised the decision not to move to Al-Hilal. In June he said: 'I had to wait a while to think about the future. I would be willing to do it if United thought it was best to move on. I spoke with Ruben Amorim, who really tried to talk me out of it. I spoke to the club, who said they weren't willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.' 'If United thought it best to move on' and 'Amorim tried to talk me out of it' places the onus on the club not wanting him to depart. There is also a school of thought that despite Fernandes also saying his wife offered no preference either way – leaving the player to decide his future – not uprooting the family was a factor. United might not have cried if Fernandes had swung the other way given the desperately needed windfall that would have swelled the coffers. Fernandes is United's best player, by a distance, so Amorim's wish (backed by Ratcliffe) can be filed as prudent football sense, but United preparing to fly to Stockholm to face Leeds for Saturday's pre-season opener having signed only Cunha also blares transfer market dysfunction. This has been an issue since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013. In ordering Rashford, Garnacho, Sancho, Antony and Malacia to keep fit alone, Ratcliffe, Amorim and Ashworth's successor, Jason Wilcox, flag that all are personae non gratae whom the club are desperate to offload, markedly reducing their market value. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion When you possibly need to raise a few more million to land Mbeumo, trumpeting to the industry that five assets can be bought for a bargain is hardly a 4D-chess move. For Mbeumo, Brentford now want a total of nearer £70m, up from the £65m Ratcliffe and company understood last month would have had him joining Cunha in Amorim's squad. Ratcliffe is determined not to be pushed into paying over the odds so plays the patience game. But as the clock ticks you wonder how Amorim feels about the effect on preparation for the campaign. United have no European football for the first time since 2014-15, meaning the head coach will have more days to drill his team in his beloved 3-4-3. But, as he constantly says, the right players are needed to fit this. After Delap, the number-one centre-forward target, plumped for Chelsea – he is now a world champion – Amorim remains hopeful of signing a No 9. But given United's position in the market you could forgive the Portuguese being unsure whether Ratcliffe-Wilcox can pull off a deal – or seal Mbeumo's arrival. To further complicate matters, the goalkeeper André Onana will not be able to play on the US pre-season tour, and perhaps for longer, because of a hamstring injury. Eriksen also said: 'Next season it has to be better and I'm sure it will be.' Ratcliffe and his cohort have to show there is a plan B.
