It was a dark week for the prime minister, with the departure of his longtime chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who had become a deeply divisive figure and who took the hit for the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador, despite his links to the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But last Thursday morning had for a change been dominated by a different story.
In response to the billionaire industrialist and Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe's historically, economically and culturally illiterate and deeply offensive remark that the UK is being colonised by immigrants, it was fitting that he should be rebuked, albeit only implicitly, in a statement issued by the football club amid a tsunami of condemnation from politicians, club supporters and anti-racist groups (Jim Ratcliffe apologises for choice of language' after saying immigrants colonising' UK, 12 February).
In the coming days, Sir Jim Ratcliffe should discover if the Football Association's legal team has decided the Manchester United co-owner brought the game into disrepute with his comments on immigration last week, which sparked condemnation from the government and beyond. The governing body could decide his remarks reached the threshold required for him to be charged with a breach of its rules, it could write to the billionaire to remind him of his responsibilities, or it could choose to take no action at all.
Shocked to learn that a tax-exiled English expat who made his billions squeezing chemicals plants doesn't have liberal, let alone accurate, views on immigration. Or at least, in public anyway. It seems highly likely Sir Jim Ratcliffe knew what he was doing in the course of his now semi-recanted Sky News interview. And it is above all vital that at least one part of his empire of influence football, sport, Manchester United rejects it, as the club have done to some extent in their statement.
The 33-year-old joined United from Real Madrid for £70 million in 2022 and has made 146 appearances in all competitions. He scored the opening goal in the 2023 Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle United as Erik ten Hag's side finished third in the Premier League during his first season at Old Trafford. However, Casemiro was later referenced by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who stated that some players at the club were "not good enough" and "overpaid".
Among those clubs, Manchester United were initially seen as serious contenders. According to reports, Ruben Amorim had expressed admiration for Lewandowski's professionalism and experience. Amorim viewed the Polish striker as an ideal short-term addition, someone who could still perform at a high level while also mentoring United's younger attacking talents. However, the final decision was taken out of Amorim's hands.
