Manchester United stalwart Jonny Evans has expressed his sadness over the recent job cuts at the club, describing them as tough to witness. The redundancies are part of the streamlining efforts initiated by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS as they aim to optimize the Red Devils’ sporting operations.
Earlier this July, it was revealed that Manchester United planned to cut 250 jobs across various departments. This restructuring is part of the new owners’ vision for the club. According to BBC Sport, the Premier League giants have already started implementing these mass redundancies. Evans, speaking after the 2-1 pre-season friendly defeat to Arsenal, acknowledged the challenging times the staff have faced in recent weeks.
Evans said, “I had a spell away but have been at the club a long time. A lot of people have lost their jobs these last couple of weeks, it’s been hard and difficult to see. The new owners feel that’s the direction that they want to go. But, you know, it’s not been easy for everyone at the same time.”
He continued, “There are people you’ve known for 20 years, and I think the timing of it happened when we came away on tour pretty much. So we were all a bit in the dark and I’m sure everything will be sorted out, things will be a bit more clear when we get back. But it’s been a difficult thing, to see people I’ve known for a long, long time.”
Evans has made 228 appearances in all competitions for United, most of which came during a successful period between 2006 and 2015, including winning three Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League. His deep connection to the club and its staff was evident in his comments.
“For a club of such a huge size, the staff turnover, you have family members working there. People are married, my wife’s been working at the club, my brother has been at the club, my dad’s been at the club. So it’s always had that feeling of people giving everything they have for the club, and it’s such a huge credit to them. That’s just because they love the place so much,” he added.
On the pitch, Manchester United faced further challenges during their defeat to Arsenal, with both Rasmus Hojlund and Leny Yoro sustaining injuries and being substituted. This added to the already difficult atmosphere at the club due to the off-field changes.
The recent signings of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro have been a part of the club’s efforts to strengthen the squad this summer. However, the simultaneous job cuts have cast a shadow over these new additions, as the club navigates through this transitional phase.
For more details on this story, visit 90min.com.
Be the first to comment