Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the founder of Ineos is reportedly exploring the possibility of buying a minority stake in Manchester United. Ratcliffe was in a full-blown battle with Sheikh Jassim for a take-over of the UK club owned by the Glazers family. While Ratcliffe wanted to buy the majority of Man United shares, Sheikh Jassim had a 100% takeover in mind. Both parties had seen multiple bids rejected by the Man United owners. The Glazers family wanted a sum in the region of £10 billion. Both Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bid were in the region of £5 billion.
Last month, the value of Manchester United dropped by over £500m on the US stock market. The crash came after speculation that the Glazers family might not sell the club. According to recent reports, Ratcliffe may be willing to invest in a minority share of the Premier League champions.
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According to Sky News, Ratcliffe could be looking to buy around 25% of the club. With the offer, Ratcliffe will bid to end the protracted sale process. The Ineos CEO initially wanted to take control in a majority deal. If the Glazers family accepted the new reported bid, it would mean that the American family would still have a majority shareholding in the club, which they first purchased in 2005.
United supporters have been calling for the Glazers to be removed from the club for many years. During summer last year, thousands of supporters held a sit-in outside Old Trafford to protest against the club owners after the club beat Nottingham Forest 3-2.
Cristiano Ronaldo had made controversial statements against the Glazers family too during his explosive interview with journalist Piers Morgan in 2022. He claimed that the training equipment at Carrington were outdated, taking a dig at the current owners of Man United.
