Former Manchester United captain Katie Zelem believes the women’s team ‘felt the brunt’ of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting exercises the most.
Ratcliffe and INEOS arrived at Old Trafford in 2023 and have been trying to balance the books ever since.
United made the decision to cut 250 jobs in the summer, with claims around £10million was saved from making the mass redundancies, just months after
But Zelem, whose contract with the Red Devils expired at the end of the 2023/24 season, believes the women’s team were also forced to feel the pinch.
“You like to think when you’re in a professional women’s team, in the first team that you are a priority,” the 28-year-old told Express Sport.
“But unfortunately, at Manchester United over the six years I was there, it didn’t always feel like that. Whether it was being moved out of facilities or whether you were struggling for pitches.
“I think a lot of circumstances arise that highlighted they didn’t have the women’s team as a priority.”
It was revealed by The Guardian earlier this year that the women’s side would be ‘relegated’ to temporary facilities so the men’s team can use the women and academy’s £10m building for the 2024/25 campaign.
Pointing towards the arrival of United’s new minority owner, Zelem continued: “Since INEOS has come in, the reduced budgets, it is usually the women’s team that feel the brunt of that the most.
“I think it’s something that needs to be sorted because Manchester United could have one of the best women’s teams in the world.
“If you’re able to apply it and put the money that needs to be like Chelsea is the perfect model of putting the money in and reaping the rewards. I think that’s something that they could do with looking at.”
United have found success on the pitch ever since their women’s team reformed in 2019 – something Zelem experienced first-hand.
The Manchester-born ace captained United to their first-ever FA Cup victory in front of over 75,000 fans at Wembley last season.
Manchester United declined to comment when contacted by Express Sport.
Despite this, Zelem left United in the off-season, with the midfielder claiming it was one of the hardest things she’s ever had to do in her career.
“In total I was there for 15 years, I signed at eight years old,” revealed Zelem at a Pro Am Padel tournament in Manchester.
“For me, it’s a club that I have always supported and my friends and family have grown up watching me play for.
“I had so many incredible memories there but it was more about a new challenge and wanting to experience something new.”
Zelem quickly penned a move to the United States, joining Los Angeles-based side Angel City.
