Wad a waste!

RATCLIFFE WILL STICK TO BONUSES NOT BIG DEALS

- SIMON MULLOCK

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE will get tough with Manchester United's highest earners by introducing a bonus-led pay structure.

Ratcliffe made it his mission to bring United's spiralling wage bill under control when he was given access to the club's books during talks over his £1.3billion buy-in.

And he has persuaded Manchester City executive Omar Berrada to move to Old Trafford as United's new CEO with a brief to bring in the same kind of bonus-heavy blueprint that has proved so effective at The Etihad.

City became the first Premier League club to post a wage bill in excess of £400million in November when they revealed their annual accounts.

United's latest figures showed their wage bill to be just over £330m.

But Pep Guardiola's squad triggered a huge package of bonus payments by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.