Man Utd cancel Jim Ratcliffe protest days after £74m Benjamin Sesko transfer

Manchester United supporters group The 1958 has pulled the plug on a planned protest. The group had planned to march against Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ownership ahead of United's opening Premier League game, against Arsenal on August 17.

Their decision comes just days after Benjamin Sesko joined the club. Slovenia striker Sesko has arrived in a deal worth up to £74million, bringing United'ssummer spending above £200mfollowing te earlier arrivals of Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon and Bryan Mbeumo.

In early August, The 1958 shared plans for a protest while claiming "shiny new signings" shouldn't distract from minority owner Ratcliffe's involvement. However, following a mixed response to the announcement, the group then put the plans to its membership.

While the majority of those surveyed agreed Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS should be judged on what they have delivered, some 68 percent felt they deserved more time to show what they can do. In announcing the postponement of the march, The 1958 published a breakdown of the voting.

"For us, it has always been, and will always be, about the fans," the group said in a statement. "About how we’re treated by the club and its owners. About protecting the future of Manchester United, affordable football for all (especially youth), safeguarding fan culture, and ensuring the next generation of supporters inherit a club run with responsibility and respect."

READ MORE: Harry Maguire tells Man Utd team-mates what has to change to get back to the top

READ MORE: Spanish press issue telling Marcus Rashford verdict after 'miss of the season' – 'Left me cold'

The statement continued: "These long-term goals matter more to us than signings, glittery training ground refurbs or anything else. That’s where we’ve always stood and we make no apologies for it.

"With a fanbase as diverse and passionate as ours, finding the right balance isn’t always easy. We’ve had to consider momentum, timing, fan appetite, broader consequences of protest activity whilst assessing how current and future decisions may impact us as fans.

"Given the current sentiment within the fanbase and particularly in light of these recent survey results, it’s clear there is no unified view on the direction of the club under Ratcliffe. That split is real, and we believe it would be irresponsible to risk creating a situation that could result in any “red on red” conflict inside or outside the stadium."

New striker Sesko has spoken for the first time about his hopes as a United player. "[My ambitions are] just that we get better, that we connect together, in general, and we, as a team, just try to grow, to grow together step by step because we're getting better," he said. "We're just even more complete and complete. It's just a matter of time when we can fly high again."

When asked about his reasons for joining United, he said: "I think, first of all, because of the club. It's just a historical club that is unbelievable.

"For me, the team is great. It is getting better and better and that's why also there is just stuff that makes you come there, gives you this energy that you want to be part of. I think it's a great project, in general, and I can't wait to start, definitely."

Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.