Sir Jim Ratcliffe ramps up Man Utd money mission with 'mid-season friendlies' planned

Manchester United will reportedly play mid-season friendlies in Saudi Arabia after embarking on a post-season tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong at the end of the last campaign. The Red Devils have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes since the start of October and are now unbeaten in five matches.

British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority stake in United at the end of 2023, with his purchase ratified a couple of months later. The 73-year-old now has responsibility for all football matters at Old Trafford and has also been attempting to cut costs and drive more revenue off the pitch.

According to The Sun, United are expected to announce their friendlies in Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks.

It is unknown at this stage who the Red Devils will play against in the Middle East, with a host of blockbuster stars now plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.

Former United forward Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr after leaving United at the end of 2022 and is still playing for the club, as is ex-Liverpool winger Sadio Mane. Elsewhere, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante both play for Al-Ittihad, while Englishman Ivan Toney turns out for Al-Ahli.

Since arriving at Old Trafford, Ratcliffe has simultaneously tried to reduce outgoings while thinking of ways to bring in more money.

The INEOS boss has overseen multiple rounds of redundancies, with many members of staff losing their jobs.

And in May, he also refused to give employees free tickets to the Europa League final as the club were said to be prioritising supporters over staff.

In an effort to increase revenue, Ratcliffe has now decided to offer supporters the chance to tour United's Carrington training centre. The Red Devils spent around £50million to upgrade their training complex, with the work taking a year to complete.

Supporters will be able to pay £100 for a four-hour long experience, which will see them visit Old Trafford as well as the training base.

Adults, over 65s and under 16s will reportedly be expected to pay the same price for the tour. It will include entry to the dressing room, recovery areas, gym and players' lounge as well as the press conference room. However, fans will not be allowed to take photos of United's inner sanctum at Carrington.

United went into the international break in seventh place in the Premier League following a 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Saturday. And Ruben Amorim's team return to action on Monday, November 24 when they host Everton.