Jim Ratcliffe (right) in the stands during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal at the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo)Manchester United is looking to cut jobs and is reportedly closing the staff canteen at Old Trafford. The free lunches currently being offered to staff will be replaced by fruit. The measures come after five straight years of financial losses for the club.British media reported that as part of cost-cutting measures, even at Manchester United’s Carrington training base, only players will receive lunch as gratis while staff members will be offered soup and bread. The Guardian reported that Manchester United management is hoping to save £1 million by ending free lunches. The report added that the canteen at Old Trafford is expected to be shut down at the end of the week.The Associated Press reported that the club could make as many as 200 jobs redundant. Manchester United made around 250 roles redundant in a first wave of savings last year after British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe paid $1.3 billion for an initial 25% stake in the club and assumed control of its soccer operations. In the first wave of redundancies, the club had said that there would be no further layoffs.In addition to job cuts, Manchester United has also raised its lowest-priced tickets to 66 pounds partway through the season, up from 40 pounds ($49). United are in 15th place in the 20-team Premier League, having lost 12 of its first 26 games and won just eight.These measures are part of what the club calls a “transformation plan”.“We have a responsibility to put Manchester United in the strongest position to win across our men’s, women’s and academy teams,” United chief executive Omar Berrada was quoted as saying. “We are initiating a wide-ranging series of measures which will transform and renew the club.“Unfortunately, this means announcing further potential redundancies and we deeply regret the impact on those affected colleagues. However, these hard choices are necessary to put the club back on a stable financial footing.”Story continues below this ad“This (losses for five years) cannot continue,” Berrada said. “Our two main priorities as a club are delivering success on the pitch for our fans and improving our facilities. We cannot invest in these objectives if we are continuously losing money. At the end of this process, we will have a more lean, agile and financially sustainable football club, while continuing to provide a world-class service to our valuable commercial partners. We will then be in a much stronger position to invest in football success and improved facilities for fans, while remaining compliant with UEFA and Premier League regulations.”(With inputs from AP)© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd