INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in Manchester United will be confirmed next week, ESPN has reported. Ratcliffe is reportedly the second-richest man in Britain, with his net worth hovering around £29.6 billion ($37.29 billion).
In November 2022, Manchester United owners, the Glazers family, announced they were open to accepting outside investment, hinting they might sell the club to the highest bidder. Multiple bidders arrived at the scene, with Ratcliffe and Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim emerging as the outright frontrunners.
Ultimately, the Glazers picked Ratcliffe, as he did not want 100% ownership of the club right away like his Qatari rival. The British billionaire will reportedly acquire 25% of the club for a whopping £1.25 billion ($1.57 billion) fee, making it the biggest investment of its kind.
Ratcliffe To Take Control Of Manchester United’s Soccer Operations
Over the last few months, fans have been waiting for the deal’s confirmation with bated breath. And according to ESPN, it will finally come next week. As per the outlet, the involved parties could sign over the dotted line as early as Monday (December 11).
Once the deal goes through, Glazer siblings Bryan, Edward, Kevin, and Darcie will greatly reduce their stakes. Co-chairmen Avram and Joel Glazer, however, will continue to be involved and United will still be majorly owned by the Glazers family.
While most fans wanted Glazers out of the club entirely, they would still be happy to settle for what they are getting with Ratcliffe. As per sources, Ratcliffe will take charge of soccer operations at Old Trafford, which means almost all his efforts will go toward improving Erik ten Hag’s side.
Ratcliffe Has Already Taken Steps To Improve United’s Soccer Team
Ratcliffe wants to make the club worthy of challenging for the Premier League title, something they have failed to do in recent years.
In an earlier report, ESPN claimed that he had already begun his work at Old Trafford. The Brit’s team has taken a look at United’s recent recruitments, as it will help them avoid signing players in the future that do not add great value to the club.
Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, who have fallen out of favor at Old Trafford, could be the first ones to leave in the Ratcliffe era. It will be interesting to see if Ratcliffe’s team decides to add a few fresh faces to the team in the January transfer window.
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