Before Ruben Amorim, Manchester United was briefly managed by Austrian coach Ralf Rangnick, who took charge after Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s dismissal and before Erik ten Hag’s appointment. Though his tenure was short, Rangnick quickly sized up the challenges at Old Trafford and hasn’t held back in his post-exit assessments.
In a recent interview with Canal+ Austria, Rangnick pointed out that since his departure in the summer of 2022, the club has spent between £700 million and £750 million on new signings—yet results have worsened. With no Europa League title this season, he says, the campaign can only be viewed as a letdown.
Rangnick said:
“In the end, there were fundamental issues that needed to be addressed. Since then, around £700 to £750 million has been spent, but the team is doing significantly worse in the league than before. Realistically, only a Europa League win could save the season by securing a Champions League spot.
Anything less would be disappointing. They appointed a coach mid-season whose system uses three or five at the back, while the squad was built for a back four. That misalignment shows, especially in league games against teams United should be beating.
In the Europa League, they pulled off a dramatic comeback against Lyon—normally, a result like that knocks you out. The atmosphere at the stadium played a big part.”
