Man United 'leak': Stefan Borson responds to INEOS 'getting rid' in new twist

Manchester United likely asked Manchester City if Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho could fly with them to the Ballon d’Or ceremony as part of their cost-cutting measures.

That is the view of former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider INEOS is looking to instil an ethos around Old Trafford about saving money in a bid to improve the club’s financial situation.

The Daily Mail reported on 26 October Man United asked rivals Man City if Garnacho and Mainoo could catch a lift with their party of eight nominees to the Ballon d’Or, only to be told the flight was full.

United have taken cost-saving measures following the investment from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group earlier this year.

Alternate arrangements had to be arranged for the ceremony in Paris, in which the men’s award was given to Etihad star Rodri.

Man United request made sense from business perspective

While Borson admitted it’s not a good look from a PR perspective, he believes United asking the question did make sense from a business standpoint.

“I guess it is part of the cost-cutting,” Borson told Football Insider.

“I think it’s most likely trying to instil an ethos around the organisation that we try and save money where we can.

“But I think if you were to look at what happened at the start when they came in, a lot of the stuff they got rid of were things like chauffeurs and club drivers. It’s all part of the same thing.

“The individual amounts are not significant. It’s like with the lunches they got rid of and travel to the FA Cup final for the staff.

“All of these things are not about the pounds and pence of the individual item that they are talking about, but they are more about what they spend as an organisation and how they think about expenses as an organisation.

“It sounds to me as though INEOS are going down a very traditional private equity cost-cutting approach and discipline around cost, which is not a bad thing.

“It doesn’t make good headlines because clearly somebody had leaked that United had asked. We can only think who that might have been given that United wouldn’t have leaked it.

“It doesn’t look great for PR, but from a business perspective, it’s actually the right thing to do rather than spending around £30,000 on hiring a plane for them.

“If there were two seats on the City plane, it would make sense to take them, but maybe there weren’t any seats.”

In other news, Sunderland respond to Man United’s midfielder interest.

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