10 months ago
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HARRY MAGUIRE has tipped Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring the glory days back to Manchester United.
Ratcliffe had his 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils – worth £1.03billion – approved by the Football Association yesterday, 24 hours after the Premier League ratified the investment.
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PARatcliffe and Ineos will control football operations at Old Trafford but England centre-back Maguire revealed Erik ten Hag’s squad were left ‘impressed’ by their first meeting with the club’s new investors.
Maguire said: “There’s a positive energy and good intensity. Sir Jim and Ineos have come in and I’m sure he’s going to have a positive impact on this club.
“As a player sitting here, I want this club to be successful. I’m sure he’s going to play a big part in helping to get this club back to where it should be.
“It’s been a tough few years because the expectation of this club is to challenge for the biggest trophies and to challenge at the top of the Premier League,
“And we haven’t done that often enough in the last 10 years.
“I’m sure he’s got a vision of what he wants for this club and I’m sure he’ll move it in the right direction.”
Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford addressed the United squad at Carrington last month.
And Maguire says his team-mates, sixth in the Premier League and without winning the title since 2013, were buoyed by the message of intent from the 71-year-old.
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GettyHe added: “The lads came out of the meeting really impressed with how he spoke.
“He gave us great motivation, everyone in the room, to fight for the club and fight for this badge and to stay on this journey with everybody involved.
“It’s exciting times for the club. They told us the way they want to work, the way they see the club and where we’re at now, and where they want to take us.
“He’s brought in a fresh energy and we feel now he’ll move the club in the right direction.”
Ratcliffe has already started work on the football side by poaching Manchester City’s CEO Omar Berrada, who is currently on gardening leave.
Now Ratcliffe has made Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth his No 1 target to become the club’s sporting director.
United are yet to make an approach but Toon are braced for one with Ashworth, 52, believed to be open to the move.
Newcastle would want Ashworth’s future sorted sooner rather than later because they do not want it to disrupt their summer transfer plans.
Maguire himself almost left United in a £30million move to West Ham last summer but the England defender insists he is getting back to his best form.
The 30-year-old was named man-of-the-match in the 2-1 Prem win at Aston Villa last Sunday.
Maguire said: “To play at the top in the Premier League and at such a big club like United, you will have moments where the scrutiny comes on you,
“When your form doesn’t match up to what you have shown in previous years.
“But you have to keep the belief within yourself and have self-confidence. I have good friends and family around me. I’ve had a lot of support.
“I’ve always had that inner belief that I could get back to showing what I did in the previous years and find that confidence and belief to perform at the highest level. I believe I’m at that stage again now.”
Maguire assisted Rasmus Hojlund’s opener at Villa Park – his fifth goal in as many Prem games.
And the Three Lions ace claims no one doubted the 21-year-old striker, who had to wait until Boxing Day for his first league goal.
He told Sky Sports: “We’ve seen the talent he has and now it is really clicking for him in front of goal.
“We always knew that was going to come because he’s an exceptional talent. He’s going to be a big player for this club. I’m sure he’ll keep scoring goals and there are many more to come.”
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