Gary Neville

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'It is NOT sustainable!' Gary Neville launches a renewed attack on the 'negligent, low on cash' Glazers' ownership of Man United and reveals frustration at them rejecting Sir Jim Ratcliffe

* Ratcliffe admitted he would have 'had a go' at buying United if it was available
* But he said he 'can't sit around hoping' that the club will one day be for sale
* Neville, a frequent critic of the Glazers, hoped talks over a sale would continue
* He said the American owners 'must be running perilously low on cash'

Gary Neville has admitted his frustration at the Glazer family telling Sir Jim Ratcliffe they don't want to sell Manchester United as he warned the much-maligned American owners that the way they are running the club is 'not sustainable'.

Neville did, however, offer United fans encouragement as he said the talks between Ratcliffe and the Glazers suggested the owners 'must be up to something'.

The billionaire and Britain's richest man, who owns the Ineos chemicals company and is a United fan, revealed on Tuesday that he had met with co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer in the summer but was told the club was not for sale.

Ratcliffe admitted they would have 'had a go' at buying the Old Trafford outfit if it was put up for purchase.

'But we can't sit around hoping one day Manchester United will become available,' he said during a discussion with the Financial Times.

Ratcliffe confirmed in August that he was interested in buying United and there were also reports the Glazers, who bought the club in a controversial leveraged buyout in 2005, were open to selling a minority stake amid talks with US private equity firm Apollo. He has also previously expressed an interest in purchasing Chelsea.

The news was met with fervour among the United fanbase, who have stepped up their anti-Glazer protests in recent months.

But there has been little progress since and Ratcliffe's admission on Tuesday appears to have slowed the momentum.

Speaking ahead of The Overlap Live at Wembley on November 10, Neville, a frequent critic of the Glazers who has consistently urged them to sell up, told Sportsmail: 'I think they [United fans] will be frustrated - but I think they will also recognise that Jim Ratcliffe was very respectful towards the family.


Gary Neville has admitted his frustration at Sir Jim Ratcliffe not being able to buy Man United. Ratcliffe said this week that he would have liked to buy United if the Glazers wanted to sell. The Glazer family met with Ratcliffe but told him they did not wish to sell the club

'I think if you're going to be disrespectful to the family, they're not going to do business with you in the future.

'What he did felt like to me "look, the owners don't want to sell but they were very decent with me" and if that changes in the future, then maybe he'll be there.

'I can't see how this is sustainable, how they can't bring in investment, or a partner or sell. I just can't see it. They haven't got the money to be able to do what Manchester United need.'

Neville said the Glazers had been guilty of 'negligence' regarding Old Trafford, which has long been in need of major renovation, and claimed the American family 'must be perilously low on cash'.

United spent around £230million on players in the summer, and the Glazers have splurged £1.3bn in the transfer market in the last 10 years.

'United cannot continue to have a stadium like they have, when the rest of the stadiums in Europe and in the Premier League are improving on the scale that they are. It would just be absolute negligence to not get that stadium up to the level it needs,' Neville added.


United fans have staged several protests aimed at the owner's of the club in recent months. Match-going supporters have made their feelings known both in and outside of Old Trafford

'That is half a billion on a refurb, a billion plus on a new stadium. Then you've got the training ground investment.

'You see what Chelsea are spending, what Arsenal have spent this year, what City have got. United need to spend big money every single year and what they spent in this summer was well above the budget that they wanted to spend - they said that on the investor call last week.

'And it leaves them perilously low on cash, with a loan that they have to continue to keep paying. The debt market isn't strong, the investment market is weak... so they are going to have to do something and they will be working on something.

'So I was a little bit frustrated that the conversation with Jim Ratcliffe wasn't extended but on the other hand they must be up to something.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11307019/Neville-slams-Glazers-running-Man-United-admits-frustration-Ratcliffe-talks.html

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Manchester United must FIRE Cristiano Ronaldo in the next few DAYS to avoid other players feeling they can openly criticise the club, says Red Devils icon Gary Neville
Gary Neville has said Man United have to terminate Cristiano Ronaldo's contract

* The Portuguese star, 37, gave an extraordinary recent interview blasting the club
* Forward Ronaldo shockingly criticised the board, owners and his team-mates
* Club icon Neville insists the Red Devils have to axe Ronaldo in the next few days
* The pundit added if the Red Devils let him stay, it will set a dangerous precedent

Gary Neville has insisted there is 'no doubt' Manchester United have to axe Cristiano Ronaldo in the next few days.

The Portuguese star gave an extraordinary recent interview with Piers Morgan, blasting the club's board, owners, manager Erik ten Hag and his own team-mates in a shocking and emotional outburst.

And Neville said the Red Devils must terminate 37-year-old forward Ronaldo's contract imminently - or set a dangerous precedent that any player can criticise the club with no repercussions - while adding there is no way back for him.

He said: 'No, and I don't think he wants a way back. He wouldn't have done this interview if he wanted a way back. This interview was one he knew would bring about the headlines it has and would bring the end of his Manchester United career.

'I'm wondering what Manchester United are doing because the reality is they know they have to terminate Cristiano's contract or else they basically open up a precedent that any player can criticise them in future.


Gary Neville has said Man United must terminate Cristiano Ronaldo's deal in the next few days. The Portuguese star gave an extraordinary interview blasting the club and his team-mates. And former team-mate Gary Neville claimed United must axe the Portuguese - or set a dangerous precedent that any player is allowed to criticise the club without any repercussions

'I agree with some of the things Cristiano has said and many Manchester United fans will agree with many of the things Cristiano has said but if you're an employee and you say those things, your employment has to terminate.

'Manchester United no doubt have to do that in the next few days. Cristiano probably wants that as well. Both (player and club) have backed themselves into a corner.'

Sportsmail reported on Thursday that Manchester United are waiting for Cristiano Ronaldo's full interview to air before deciding on the wantaway player's future.

Sportsmail's Chris Wheeler exclusively revealed on Monday that United are exploring ways of sacking Ronaldo after the first clips emerged of his explosive sit-down with Piers Morgan.

In the interview, the second half of which is due to be shown on Thursday night, Ronaldo claimed he had been 'betrayed' by United, said he did not respect manager Erik ten Hag and criticised the club and his team-mates.

United's lawyers are studying Ronaldo's comments closely to determine whether they constitute a breach of contract but will only decide on their next move once they have seen the entire interview.


Ronaldo criticised the club in a damning interview with TV presenter Piers Morgan. Ronaldo claimed he feels 'betrayed' by United and said he has 'no respect' for boss Erik ten Hag. United's lawyers are assessing his comments and trying to find grounds for a contract breach

But Sportsmail understands the club believe fining Ronaldo, and the player issuing an apology for his actions, won't be sufficient this time given the feeling this situation is far more serious than his previous misdemeanours.

United will sack him or cancel his contract at Old Trafford next summer if they can. They are keen to avoid paying Ronaldo off as they don't want to reward disloyalty.

They are hoping a mutual agreement can be reached with the 37-year-old, who told the club he wanted to leave in the summer transfer window.

Ronaldo returning to Old Trafford is seen as the least likely scenario and his United team-mates are hoping he is gone before the end of the World Cup.

They believe he has burnt all of his bridges with the squad following his incendiary comments and feel it would be better if United find a way of offloading Ronaldo while he is at the World Cup with Portugal.

The mood at Old Trafford was already one of consternation and frustration after Ronaldo slammed the club and the manager in clips first aired on Sunday.

That will not have improved after the first installment of the interview aired on Wednesday night, in which he criticised the attitude of United's young players and said only his Portugal teammate Diogo Dalot is destined for a long career at the top.

Ronaldo's outspoken views on Ten Hag will air in part two of the interview on Thursday night, but his team-mates believe he has betrayed Ten Hag and the club, not the other way around as he claims.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11439155/Gary-Neville-Manchester-United-terminate-Cristiano-Ronaldos-contract-days.html

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'I think he's got four or five great months in him': Gary Neville suggests Cristiano Ronaldo's next move will be to a 'top' European club - despite his Man United woes - before considering options in the US and Middle East at the end of the season

* Gary Neville said Cristiano Ronaldo has 'four or five good months' left in him
* Former Manchester United captain said he wished his former teammate well
* Ronaldo and Man United agreed to tear up contract after controversial interview
* Also took aim at Glazers for way they have run Manchester United since 2005
* Neville said that he was 'not surprised' by the owners' decision to sell the club

Gary Neville has said that former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking to join a 'top' European club having seen his contract at Manchester United torn up following his bombshell interview.

Ronaldo took aim at Gary Neville, Erik ten Hag, the Glazers and Ralf Rangnick, among others, in a highly controversial interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan.

Responding to the situation once again surrounding Ronaldo, Neville wished his former team-mate well and suggested that he will try his hand at a 'top' European league once again before potentially considering the more lucrative offers from the Middle East or America.

'I think Cristiano Ronaldo is going to be looking for a top club on a four-month or five-month contract where he can go in and do a brilliant cameo role at the very elite of European football,' Neville told Sky Sports.

'That's what I think his priority would be - to stay in the Champions League, to stay at the very top and prove that what happened at Manchester United wasn't right.

'I think he's got four or five great months in him somewhere where he'll go in and score 15 or 20 goals in that period. Everybody in Manchester will say "why didn't we keep him?" and people in the Premier League will as well.

'But he's got that in him and I would say that would be his priority. I think he'll get to the end of the season and then think about the next two years and what his last football project might look like. Is it in the US? Is it in the Middle East? Is it somewhere else in Europe where he's not played before?

'I hope he does really well wherever he goes. I didn't work out in Manchester in the end, but it was the right thing for the club to do in breaking ties and it was the right thing for Cristiano to do.'


Gary Neville has wished his former teammate well following the termination of his Manchester United contract. The Sky Sports pundit said it was best for all parties that the Portuguese depart the club

Ronaldo last week took aim at Neville - among others - with the Portuguese having seen his contract torn up as a result. Playing in his fifth - and likely last - World Cup, Ronaldo will seemingly be focused on trying to achieve the ultimate glory with his country before assessing his options following the tournament in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Neville also discussed the situation surrounding the ownership of Manchester United, with the Glazers having publicly declared that they are exploring outside investment in the club as improvements are made to Old Trafford and Carrington, the club's training ground. A sale remains a distinct possibility.

Admitting he did not speak out against their ownership soon enough, Neville said that he had been very vocal over the last 'two or three years ago'.

'I don't want to come up with excuses. It was probably because we were successful and we were managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, who stuck to football,' he said.

'No player or member of staff ever spoke out against the leveraged takeover. When it happened we got on with winning trophies, winning the Champions League and winning Premier Leagues.

'And the club, to be fair, carried on being successful. I worked on the theory at the time that we could have worse owners. They were quite passive. I never saw any interference while I was at the club as a player.

'But when Sir Alex Ferguson left, it's then I started to realise they were only successful because of Sir Alex Ferguson. They haven't been able to develop a successful sporting project without him.'

Neville went on to reference the highly contentious issue of the owners taking dividends out of the club, one of the main reasons for United supporter protests against the Glazers.

'So the fact of the matter is, they've taken dividends out, they've not developed the stadium, they've let the training ground go to ruin,' he said.

'They really are second-class when it comes to the status of infrastructure at the club and the facilities. That can't happen when you're not successful on the pitch. So you put all that together and you get to a point whereby enough is enough.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11474163/Gary-Neville-suggests-Cristiano-Ronaldos-European-club.html