Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos believe that a key Red Devils department at Old Trafford is worthy of a Champions League club’s high standards.
The Red Devils are pushing for a return to the Champions League for the 2026-27 campaign amid Manchester United’s Premier League top-four challenge this season.
United entered the top-four race in the current campaign after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos axed Ruben Amorim from his role and replaced him with Michael Carrick.
Michael Carrick has overseen seven wins from 11 Premier League matches as interim head coach and has only six fixtures remaining in his Man Utd spell this season.
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Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks on in the stands during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are now tapping into Man Utd’s data and recruitment team amid their Champions League ambitions
Ineos took control of football operations at Old Trafford after Sir Jim Ratcliffe became co-owner of Manchester United back in 2024.
Ratcliffe and his Ineos team completed a shake-up to the Man Utd hierarchy by bringing in key figures, including the likes of Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox.
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Speaking on The Athletic’s YouTube channel, reporter Carl Anka revealed how Man Utd are now feeling about their data and recruitment teams under Ineos now.
“Everything I understand now, the data team and recruitment team [are] now regarded as being one of the best in the Premier League and of Champions League quality,” he said.
“And what’s also important is, I mean, there’s a difference between data and information and that bridge that person who takes the spreadsheets, the xG, the PPDA [passes per defensive action] and translates all that data into information that what we can call non-technical stuff, so the coaches, people who sign the cheques someone who might be sceptical about xG.”
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Carl Anka uses Man Utd’s signing of Senne Lammens as an example of the Red Devils’ efficiency with data and recruitment
Former United manager Ruben Amorim reportedly wanted to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa last summer amid the Red Devils’ hunt for a shot-stopper.
However, Ineos opted to pursue the signing of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for Man Utd ahead of Argentina and Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez.
Carl Anka said that United’s data and recruitment team would link up their information and work out why Senne Lammens is a better fit than Martinez.
“But might use the term like nine out of 10 times be scoring that there seems to be a greater bridge between that data and the person who’s listening to that and goes, ‘Oh, actually, yeah, why not?’ Anka added.
“‘Let’s go for Senne Lammens over Emi Martinez.’ Because someone’s now explained the numbers Senne Lammens has.”
Lammens arrived at Old Trafford on deadline day last September after Man Utd paid an initial £18.1m transfer fee to Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp.
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