Manchester United’s first piece of transfer business has reportedly already been decided by Sir Jim Ratcliffe if his takeover bid is successful. The billionaire is desperate to purchase the club and is said to be exploring numerous options in the hope of getting his foot in the door at Old Trafford.
The Glazers continue to frustrate supporters with a lack of clarity over the club takeover situation, with it still unclear as to whether they will sell the club. Their mammoth £6billion asking price has not been met by either Ratcliffe or Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who are both not willing to overpay for the Red Devils.
There still remains the possibility of the American family selling a minority stake in the club instead, though that is unlikely to satisfy fans given their desire for a significant change of direction for their side. Ratcliffe has been linked with both possibilities and the INEOS chairman is willing to pursue minority ownership if it is the option that the Glazers decide on – and has made it known that he would be willing to ‘change’ his offer.
Despite such uncertainty around the situation, the Englishman is considering how United’s football structure would look if his full takeover bid is successful – and a significant shakeup is on the cards. According to CBS Sport, Paul Mitchell has been considered by Ratcliffe to become his sporting director.
The 42-year-old recently left his position with Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, having announced previously that he intended to move on earlier this year but would continue operating as their sporting director until the summer transfer window had concluded.
Mitchell does not have a position lined up for his next role and is willing to bide his time before committing to a new club, though he is not expected to be short of offers given that he has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League previously, having enjoyed spells with Southampton and Tottenham.
