David Beckham has backed the new Manchester United ownership group led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring the “good old days” back to the club.
Ratcliffe’s INEOS purchased a 25% stake of Man Utd during the 2023 Christmas period, with the new ownership group vowing to take the club “the very top of English, European and world football”.
INEOS put their money where their mouth was during the summer transfer window, backing manager Erik ten Hag to the tune of £180m on five new signings, but although the new arrivals were well-received by supporters, the Red Devils have struggled for form in the opening months of the 2024/25 season – enduring their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on the former United defender’s YouTube channel, Beckham, who is the president and co-owner of Inter Miami, backed Ratcliffe and INEOS to mastermind a turnaround at Old Trafford, insisting change at the club has been in needed to order push forward.
“I think that it definitely needed change,” he said. “I think, speaking as a United fan, I think many people said the club needed change and it needed a fresh perspective on how this club needs to be run and the decisions that are made.
“I really like Jim, I’ve met him a few times over the years with a few mutual friends.
“I think that he’s a fan and obviously he’s a great businessman as well, one of the best and one of the biggest. But I think more importantly the fans see that he cares and I think that that’s a big part of it.
“I think the fans had lost faith with the leadership over the years and obviously he really cares about, you know, what he wants to do and what he wants to create.
“So hopefully things will change, but these things take time. I think we’ve been quite patient as United fans over the years, but we want those good old days back. We want those days back, and the sooner the better.”
United currently sit 14th in the Premier League table, with just two wins from their first seven games, and manager Erik ten Hag has another injury crisis to deal with ahead of the visit of Brentford. The beleaguered Dutchman is without Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Noussair Mazraoui, meaning usual right-back Diogo Dalot may need to be shipped over to provide cover.