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Manchester United are switching their London office just two years after moving in – as Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to cut costs at the Premier League giants.
Daily Mail Sport understands United will make an early exit from the 10-year lease it signed in 2023 on a swanky, sprawling Kensington base in favor of slightly smaller premises in Covent Garden.
Staff have already vacated the Kensington office and will be working from home until the new site is ready. Insiders say that the move will place them in a better location and that the primary motivation was not to save money, although there will be a significant rent reduction.
The club was the first in the country from outside the capital to build a base in London, a trend that was eventually followed by a host of northern rivals including Manchester City and Liverpool.
They moved to the top floor of the newly developed Kensington Building, complete with 23,000 square feet of space and a roof terrace, in 2023 after 10 years in Mayfair.
Manchester United have terminated their 10-year Kensington office lease and downsized
With little expense spared, their new London home featured a ‘tunnel’ of LED screens aimed at giving staff and visitors the impression they were at Old Trafford and potential sponsors a glimpse of how their branding could look at the Theater of Dreams. The building also featured two chic bars and United had use of the top floor in its entirety.
However, Ratcliffe and Ineos quickly carried out a review into costs at the club following their arrival as co-owners close to two years ago.
They have since made hundreds of redundancies and the Kensington facility was quickly identified as an expenditure which could be reduced with headcount down in both London and Manchester.
Insiders say that they believe that the move will provide a more central location, be more accessible for commuting staff and provide better connectivity with Old Trafford via Euston station.
They also believe it places them closer to many of the media and creative companies they work with.
While United declined to comment, sources say the switch to another prestigious location reinforces a strong presence in the capital as a place to engage with commercial partners and other stakeholders.
United’s presence in London was key to turning them into English football’s first commercial powerhouse.
The move comes as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting measures at the club
The former executive chair based himself in the capital office, along with a host of the club’s senior staff. The premises were often used to wow corporate clients and agents of top players.
However, following Woodward’s departure there has been a migration back to Manchester and that – coupled with wide-ranging redundancies – appears to have made their Kensington base unfit for purpose.
The move is the latest measure by petrochemicals giant Ineos, who are themselves based in Knightsbridge, as they seek to focus more attention on restoring United back to the top of English football.
In recent times they have severed ties with the New Zealand All Blacks and Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team, while agreeing to pay Tottenham close to £11m to make an early exit from a sponsorship deal.
