Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans for Manchester United to win the Premier League title by 2028 have been scrutinised since day one, given the current state of affairs at Old Trafford at present
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos CEO and minority shareholder of Manchester United, at Foster + Partners Headquarters in Battersea, London
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Project 150 looked doomed from the start
(Image: PA)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's comments after Manchester United won last year's FA Cup should have been a preview into how successful his Project 150 plans would be.
The Red Devils had the odds stacked against them when they faced Manchester City at Wembley last May, but they still managed to engineer a 2-1 win to clinch their only silverware of the season. Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo cancelled out Jeremy Doku's strike on the day to lift the domestic cup, much to the surprise of football fans across the nation.
And Ratcliffe himself, a minority shareholder in United, also confessed that his side were the underdogs heading into the fixture. Speaking after the win, he said: "Manchester United were clearly not the favourites to win today," adding: "But they played with total commitment and skill and overcame one of the great teams in football.
"We are all very proud of the players and the staff who work tirelessly to support them." However, the comments about United not being favourites - and being nowhere near rectifying this - raised questions after Ratcliffe announced his Project 150 plans to see the Red Devils back to the summit of the Premier League by 2028, in line with the club's 150th anniversary.
The club finished a record-low eighth in the league under Erik ten Hag in 2023/24, well off the pace of their neighbours Man City and rivals like Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal. A substandard start in 2024/25, which saw Ten Hag sacked by the board in October and replaced by Ruben Amorim the following month, further added concerns to Ratcliffe's ambitions.
Under Amorim's stewardship, the club currently sit at the lower end of the table and are on course for their lowest-ever Premier League finish in history - with the Portuguese tactician unable to mould his inherited squad to fit his style of play. However, the board understand that Amorim needs time to adapt, while the Red Devils overhaul their business plan from academy level up.
As per the Mirror, a source explained the situation back in March: "Amorim felt he could get more from the current squad when he came in and there have been some encouraging results. But there's no getting away from the fact that overall it's been a really tough watch - and that it's going to take a lot of time and patience to get the team to where they should be.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 11:Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim looks dejected as he leaves the pitch at the end of the match during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and West Ham United FC at Old Trafford on May 11, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Ruben Amorim has found it difficult to adapt in the Premier League with his current squad
"You've got to be brave or foolish to think winning the league by 2028 is doable from where United currently are." It's been 12 years since Sir Alex Ferguson parted ways with Manchester United, with the side unable to replicate his glory in the Premier League since.
The club has seen the likes of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ten Hag and now Amorim try and fail to turn the tide at Old Trafford, only to seemingly go backwards in the standings.
With the board happy to give Amorim time at the Theatre of Dreams, it may take the tactician years to build a squad suited to his style of play while offloading talents who have failed to make a mark, and Project 150 may be binned completely through the process.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Former Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson arrives ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and West Ham United FC at Old Trafford on May 11, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Long gone are the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson
However, another problem comes in the form of the Premier League's PSR rules and regulations. United were only able to buy Patrick Dorgu for £25million as well as Arsenal talent Ayden Heaven in the January window, which saw Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Tyrell Malacia leave on loan.
Should the Red Devils secure permanent departures of those players, as well as Chelsea potentially forking out £20m for Jadon Sancho after his own loan spell at Stamford Bridge, it will help alleviate the multi-hundred-pound debts that the club currently have. In March, it was reported that the club had debts of £733m, while another £315m was owed in outstanding transfer fees.