Edwin van der Sar has sent a clear-cut message to Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe over what the Manchester United hierarchy must do at Old Trafford.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe captured a minority stake in Manchester United in 2023 and the 72-year-old British billionaire has made sweeping changes at Old Trafford.
Ineos took over control of football operations at the Premier League club and oversaw a shake-up to the Red Devils hierarchy in 2024.
Omar Berrada left Manchester City and arrived at United as chief executive officer, while Jason Wilcox was appointed a technical director at the Premier League club.
Ratcliffe also has Ineos Sport CEO Jean-Claude Blanc sat on the United board of directors and Ineos director of sport Dave Brailsford at the Red Devils.
Another major appointment of the Ratcliffe regime was Dan Ashworth, who left Newcastle and arrived at United as sporting director in the summer.
However, Dan Ashworth’s spell at Old Trafford lasted only five months and the former Newcastle sporting director made his shock exit on Sunday.
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AFC Ajax Amsterdam legend player Frank de Boer, AFC Ajax Amsterdam legend goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, AFC Ajax Amsterdam legend player Ronald de ...
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Van der Sar on structure at Man Utd
Edwin van der Sar worked at Ajax as CEO before the Manchester United legend stepped down from his role in 2023.
The 54-year-old Dutchman was a key figure behind the scenes at the Dutch club and impressed with his work at Ajax.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Van der Sar was asked about the United restructure under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the former United star made his feelings clear.
The former United No 1 insisted that the Red Devils must ensure that “all things are connected” at the club and recalled his own experience at Ajax when it went wrong.
“It’s of utmost importance that all things are connected,” he said.
“I experienced at Ajax also when one radar, one little thing is not working, it can have an effect down the line.
“I think that happened also at United. I think the structure has been quite clear, with the Glazers as the ownership.
“I think the football structure and the CEO position has been changed also a few times.”
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Van der Sar on Ten Hag and Man Utd
Van der Sar highlighted that former United manager Erik ten Hag didn’t benefit from the current Red Devils structure after the Dutchman was sacked.
Erik ten Hag, who worked under Van der Sar at Ajax, was dismissed in late October after United’s poor start to the 2024-25 Premier League season.
The 54-year-old former Ajax boss had inked a contract extension with United in the summer after Ineos retained his services following their end-of-season review.
“I think what I feel, what I hear, what I read, I think they’ve all been signed in a certain way that they can back each other up,” Van der Sar said.
“Unfortunately for Erik ten Hag, the results didn’t work. I think now, let’s say, the people who should appoint a manager have appointed their manager, so that would probably work better than the situation a couple of months ago.”
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