Jonny Evans has expressed his sadness at the job losses at Manchester United, saying it has been "hard" to see staff members lose their positions amidst the cost-cutting measures implemented by new owners INEOS.
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans to reduce costs at Old Trafford have led to the announcement of 250 redundancies. The news came just before the club's pre-season tour of the United States, leaving many staff members unsure of their future. Evans, who has been associated with United since the age of nine, spoke of the difficult period for those affected.
"A lot of people have lost their jobs in the last couple of weeks," Evans said. "It's been hard and difficult to see. The new owners feel that's the direction they want to go, but it's not been easy for everyone."
The veteran defender, who has been playing for the club since his youth, spoke of the close-knit nature of the United staff and the impact the redundancies have had on those with long-standing connections to the club.
"There are people you've known for 20 years," he added. "The timing of it all happened when we came away on tour, so we were all a bit in the dark. I'm sure things will be sorted out and things will be a bit clearer when we get back."
Evans' family has deep roots at the club. His brother, Corry, previously played for the Red Devils, while his wife, Helen, works for the club's internal television channel, MUTV. His father, Jackie, was also an academy coach for United.
"It's been a difficult thing to see," Evans said, reflecting on the impact of the job cuts. "People I've known for a long, long time. One thing about working at a club like Man United, you're all in, everyone's always been all in. It's a big massive staff, but I think that's just been the culture of the club."
He highlighted the close-knit community that the club has fostered throughout its history. "For a club of this size, it's such a huge staff, and there's a lot of family members working there. My wife has been working at the club, my brother has been at the club, my dad's been at the club."
"So it's always had that feeling of people giving everything they have for the club," Evans continued. "It's such a huge credit to them. That's just because they love the place so much."
While the redundancy process is expected to be finalised next month, the cuts have already been a topic of discussion amongst players and first-team staff. Despite the fact that players and first-team staff have not been affected by the job cuts, Evans acknowledged the impact it has had on the dressing room.
"Yeah, of course," he said. "Certain staff members being here, they're friends, people that they've worked with, colleagues for a long time, and I'm sure they'll be feeling it. There's no doubt about that."
The redundancies mark a significant shift for the club under new ownership, with INEOS aiming to make changes to improve efficiency and cut costs. While the club continues to focus on its pre-season preparations, the impact of the job cuts will likely continue to be felt across the club for some time to come.