British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe could have a significant influence on Manchester United if he successfully acquires a minority stake in the club. The owner of Ineos, a petrochemical giant, is keen to invest in the famous English football club after Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar withdrew from the bidding process.
Ratcliffe is aiming to buy a 25% share of United and also wants to manage football operations, according to an anonymous source. The Glazer family, who are the American owners of United, announced plans in November to seek external investment that could lead to the sale of the 20-time English league champions.
Initially, Ratcliffe bid for the family's controlling stake of about 69%, while Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim wanted 100% of the club. However, with the process taking longer than expected, Ratcliffe has revised his offer, which could see him becoming a co-owner of the club he has supported since childhood.
Ratcliffe's proposal would keep the Glazers, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in charge of United. However, if he is tasked with managing the sporting side of the business, it could provide him a real chance to boost the team's on-field performance.
United hasn't clinched a league title since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
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Under the Glazers, United bagged the Champions League title in 2008, five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, five League Cups and the Europa League. But most of these trophies were won under Ferguson's leadership. Since his retirement, United has only won four trophies in the past decade.
It's rumoured that Ratcliffe eventually wants full control of the club through a gradual process, but this hasn't been confirmed yet.
Ratcliffe, one of Britain's wealthiest individuals, is reportedly worth $15.1 billion. He previously attempted to purchase Chelsea and currently owns French club Nice and cycling's Team INEOS. He also holds a one-third share in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team and competes in the America's Cup with sailing team INEOS Britannia.
Despite splashing out about $2 billion on transfers over the last ten years, United has lost its position as English football's top dog. While rival Manchester City has enjoyed the immense wealth of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, United has still managed to compete for the world's top players and has broken records to sign stars like Paul Pogba and Harry Maguire.
Despite the high hopes, many of Manchester United's new signings have failed to meet expectations. The club has seen some changes recently, with Ed Woodward leaving his role as executive vice chairman and John Murtough stepping in as football director. Matt Hargreaves was also brought on board to lead player negotiations.
United is confident that these changes have strengthened their football operations department. They point to recent signings like Andre Onana, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund as proof of an improved recruitment policy. Hojlund, one of Europe's top emerging strikers, was signed from Atalanta for a whopping £64 million.
However, critics argue that Hojlund's move to Atalanta just a year earlier for a reported 20 million and Onana's free transfer from Ajax to Inter Milan in 2022 highlight flaws in United's spending. The club shelled out 51 million for goalkeeper Onana this year.
Manager Erik ten Hag has received strong backing from Murtough and United since his appointment last year. He's been allowed to bring in big-name signings like Brazil internationals Antony and Casemiro, as well as Hojlund, in his bid to revamp the squad. Ten Hag had a successful first season, winning the club's first trophy in six years - the League Cup - and leading United back to the Champions League.
Ten Hag has been supported for his discipline of star players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho. Maguire, on the other hand, has lost his captaincy and is no longer a key player in the team.
Despite United's rocky start to the season, with six losses in their first 11 games, Ten Hag remains a fan favourite. His track record at Ajax, where he won three league titles and two cups, proves he can bring success.
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He is the fifth manager since Ferguson retired. The club's approach of hiring and firing hasn't worked out so far, but would Ratcliffe want to appoint his own manager if he was in charge?
Old Trafford may be a famous stadium, but it needs a makeover. It's the biggest club stadium in the country, but it looks old compared to Tottenham's new ground, which often hosts NFL games.
Ratcliffe is said to be offering about £1.3 billion for a minority stake, but it's not clear how this money will be used. He reportedly wants to increase Old Trafford's capacity from 74,000 seats to 90,000.
Stadium renovations probably wouldn't fall under football operations, but they would be a significant change that could generate more money and appeal to fans.
Last year, United hired stadium developers Populous to explore options for Old Trafford. One possibility could be to rebuild the stadium, but this would cause issues with relocating the team during construction and lost revenue.
Manchester United's fans have been campaigning for years to get rid of the unpopular owners since the late Malcom Glazer bought the club for 790 million pounds (then about $1.4 billion) in 2005. Fans are unhappy with the debt the Glazers' buyout put on the club, the perceived lack of investment, and the dividends taken by the owners.
Many fans want the Glazers gone completely. The Manchester United Supporters Trust told the AP that keeping the family in charge permanently would be a "nightmare scenario."
Fans continue to protest against the family and "Glazers out" is often heard at games.
Ratcliffe, who was born in Manchester, has risked upsetting fans by offering to buy a minority stake. But if he can take control of football operations and bring success, he could help calm them and reduce tension around the club.
However, if United's decline continues, he could become a target for blame.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to webhomepage@mirror.co.uk
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