Sir Jim Ratcliffe will waste no time in attempting to convince the Glazer family to transfer majority control at Manchester United once he gets his foot in the door with a 25 per cent stake, according to reports. The INEOS chief has made a £1.4billion bid for a minority stake in United with the view of overthrowing the unpopular Glazer reign.
Sir Jim is expected to seal a deal for 25 per cent of the club and total sporting control at Old Trafford early next year at the latest.
In the latter stages of an 11-month strategic review, it emerged as the only possible solution as co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer tightened their grip on the club they have owned since 2005.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani offered over £5bn for 100 per cent of United, almost double the club’s £2.6bn market value.
However, the Glazers’ refusal indicated their reluctance to surrender the keys… for now, anyway.
Sir Jim is reportedly ready to inject funds – set aside on top of the £1.4bn agreement – into United’s sporting department, Erik ten Hag’s playing squad, and the club’s infrastructure, including stadium redevelopment.
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The 71-year-old is said to be doing that with the belief that he will eventually become United’s owner, and he isn’t planning to wait too long.
According to the Daily Star, Sir Jim wants to make United the dominant force in England and the world again, no matter the cost.
And he has reportedly set a deadline of 18 months to remove the Glazer regime from Old Trafford for good, which could see a change in ownership before the end of the 2024/25 season.
The Glazers’ lofty asking price will remain a potential sticking point, given they have previously unrealistically valued United at £9bn.
However, the report states that the US-based family are willing to lower their valuation to some extent, depending on how the market value fluctuates in the coming months.
For now, INEOS will inherit total sporting control at United. Sir Jim and Sir Dave Brailsford will have the most significant say on a football committee also featuring Joel Glazer.
Sir Jim will oversee recruitment, team performance, analytics and sports science as he looks to instil the INEOS blueprint in the club he has supported since childhood.
But his plot to become United’s majority owner will continue brewing in the background at the start of a new era in M16.
