Manchester United are set to announce Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment into the club the week after next. But the deal will reportedly take six to eight weeks to approve, which means the INEOS owner may not be ready to get started until the January transfer window has been and gone. The Red Devils have been on the market for more than a year, with Ratcliffe overcoming a battle with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani to secure a stake in the club.
According to the Daily Mail, United officials had hoped they would be able to broadcast Ratcliffe’s arrival ahead of the team’s Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich next Tuesday. However, sources in the US have revealed that the date of the announcement has now been pushed back because of legal structural matters.
There are not thought to be any obstacles getting in the way of Ratcliffe’s investment but, if matters remain unresolved, the announcement could even be delayed into next year due to the Christmas period.
Ratcliffe has paid close to £1.3billion for 25 per cent of the New York Stock exchange-listed A shares and 25 per cent of the Glazer-owned B shares. The latter come with a greater share of voting rights, with Ratcliffe set to oversee football operations at the club. The Red Devils supporter will also invest an additional £245million into the club to develop Old Trafford as well as the team’s training ground.
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Ratcliffe had initially bid to buy the Glazers’ entire 69 per cent stake in United but then changed his offer to a minority bid in order to get a deal over the line after Sheikh Jassim had withdrawn from the process in October. But it appears United fans will have to bide their time further before the deal can be green-lighted.
With Ratcliffe set to play a leading role in football matters, his absence during the January transfer window could impact the club’s transfer strategy. The 13-time Premier League champions have been tipped to delve into the market to bolster their squad after closing the gap on the top four to three points.
But United manager Erik ten Hag has already insisted he won’t be looking for new players in the New Year. “I don’t think so”, he replied after being asked by the United We Stand fanzine if there would be signings in January. “And if so, the approach from United should be that if you can improve your team, then you should do.
“As a club, you have to look for improvements, so if you can find better and it’s realistic financially and with financial fair play, I think the club has to go with it. But realistically, in relation to the market, most of the time you don’t attract the best players in the winter. The top, top players will not leave their clubs in the winter. It’s players who are disappointed, injured or just not the right fit or whatever.”
