Manchester United Women have built something real in a hurry. The program only launched in 2018, played its way up from the second division, and by 2024 was lifting the FA Cup trophy at Wembley with a 4-0 win over Tottenham. Last season brought a first League Cup final appearance and a Champions League quarterfinal run. By any reasonable measure, that’s rapid progress.
But the finish line keeps moving. The same season that included those highs also saw United fall apart down the stretch. They finished fourth, missing out on European qualification entirely. And now the gap to the top of the women’s game isn’t just about points anymore. It’s about everything else.
The Ownership Problem Nobody Seems to Want to Fix
Ineos, the club’s ownership group, has never really seemed to get the women’s team. Not fully. Not the way fans do.
There was the early mess when the women’s team got booted from their usual training space at Carrington so the men could have it during renovations. Then came Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s now-infamous comments in 2024, when he basically said the men’s team was the priority. Not a great look when you’re trying to build something.
United have made signings. Jess Park, Julia Zigiotti and Fridolina Rolfo came in last summer. But Rolfo was a free transfer. Park was part of a swap deal involving Grace Clinton. Winter arrivals Ellen Wangerheim, Hanna Lundkvist and Lea Schuller also didn’t require major financial outlay. The pattern is clear: efficient, cautious, a little too safe.
Meanwhile, issues that would get immediate attention on the men’s side just sit there for the women. Marc Skinner’s position is shaky. He’s not particularly popular with the fanbase, and the team’s late-season collapse didn’t help. But the club has shown no real urgency about addressing it.
Star players like Ella Toone, Elisabeth Terland and Melvine Malard have all been linked with moves away. United hasn’t pushed back publicly. No statement denying the rumors. No reassurance. Fans are left to sweat.
The Transfer Market Is Leaving United Behind
The real problem isn’t internal though. It’s what everyone else is doing.
Chelsea operate on a different financial planet and just added highly rated Japanese international Manaka Matsukubo. Arsenal, who finished above United, raided Bayern Munich for Georgia Stanway and brought back former Red Devil Ona Batlle from Barcelona. Manchester City held onto Bunny Shaw and added Beth Mead and Niamh Charles. All three of them, the teams ahead of United, got stronger.
But it’s not just the teams at the top. London City Lionesses finished 13 points behind United last season and came in sixth. They just signed multiple Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas. They also picked up Mary Earps from Paris Saint-Germain. That kind of ambition from a team below you is a warning sign.
Liverpool finished 11th last season. Even they are showing aggression in the market.
United’s silence in response is loud.
It’s Not Over Yet
To be fair, not everything is grim. The Andrea Medina signing is smart. The young talent in the squad is real. And with no European fixtures to worry about, United could find themselves fresher than their rivals down the stretch.
Plus the transfer window doesn’t close until September 3. Plenty of time to change the narrative.
But that requires the board and ownership to actually act. To treat the women’s team like it matters. To stop letting issues fester and start matching the ambition of clubs that are clearly trying to leave them behind. The pieces are there. The patience might not be.
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