British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is poised to take control of Manchester United's football operations following months of negotiations with the Glazer family, with INEOS, Ratcliffe's petrochemical empire, spearheading the acquisition. Despite delays due to concerns for minority shareholders, a significant breakthrough on Friday has brought the deal closer to completion. INEOS will manage the club's men's, women's, and academy teams, and Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc will join the board. The takeover's details, including the role the Glazers will play and the initial $300m investment, are being scrutinized amid discussions of the multi-club ownership model and the Premier League's approval timeframe. Fans, having endured 18 years of debt, decay, and mismanagement, are hopeful for a revival under Ratcliffe's stewardship.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's key priorities at Manchester United! https://t.co/eO83xRbRk7
Manchester United fans insist Sir Jim Ratcliffe's arrival represents 'light at the end of the tunnel'... as they call on the lifelong supporter to bring a 'worthy sporting project' to Old Trafford https://t.co/2Z929CFbQv https://t.co/2hotwod1bE
The sports interests of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS petrochemical empire range from sailing and F1 racing to football and cycling @AFPsports https://t.co/uVgxtED5UC https://t.co/ziQ1qFLTx1
Ratcliffe's investment signals fresh start in Man Utd's recovery plan https://t.co/44KAJXSeeg https://t.co/q70FUHmC8G
Jim Ratcliffe's company being used for the acquisition is called Trawlers Ltd. The name was inspired by a quote from Eric Cantona.
Manchester United supporters club release ststement citing "18 years of debt, decay and mismanagement" and say Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 25% stake in the club is not enough to change course ❌ https://t.co/v5qzPMOl5Q
John Reece joins the Man United PLC board. Ratcliffe owns 60 per cent of INEOS. But partners John Reece & Andy Currie own the rest. Reece is worth estimated £9.1bn, 14th in the Sunday Times Britain rich list. https://t.co/zDFEmEjgXs
$MANU The fact is that some of the Glazers believe that the club worth much more over the long term - but they need someone (& their money) to help extract that value. Will Jim Ratcliffe’s stake in Manchester United lighten damp air at Old Trafford? https://t.co/sK8ZV53ksH
#mufc supporters’ trust says they hoped Ratcliffe’s stake was more the 25% & on control gained of sporting activities “puzzle how any organisation can put its very core business in the hands of a minority shareholder, and how that meaningfully works” https://t.co/XyxFtFCPR7
Subject to all approvals, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will delegate his seats on the PLC board to John Reece, a shareholder of INEOS and Rob Nevin, Chairman of INEOS Sport. On the UK Club board, he will delegate his seats to Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc https://t.co/J6MAAEpMYs
So what is Sir Jim Ratcliffe taking control of? An in-depth look at #MUFC football operations + how it came to be ⬇️ @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/5cnJSazNML
Earlier this year, a book about INEOS, the company co-owned & founded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, was released. It has plenty of little pearls which reveal why the billionaire wanted to invest in #MUFC 📝 @mjshrimper did the reading so you didn't have to. https://t.co/Zl2JIHmIfW
The issues confronting Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Manchester United, from the structure inside the club to the problems with Old Trafford to current failings on the pitch: https://t.co/tNyugg1fLU
Can British tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe catapult faltering football powerhouse Manchester United back to its former glory? https://t.co/jvg4QkouAA
🚨🔴 INEOS will start working soon on new board structure with Jean Claude Blanc and Sir Dave Brailsford joining the club, as expected. More will follow with new director, new transfer strategy, different plan for 2024 — it will take some time but changes are expected. https://t.co/8DhBhlXylD
Confirmed INEOS has "responsibility for the management of the club's football operations" - including men's, women's + academy. Two seats on the board go to Sir Dave Brailsford + Jean-Claude Blanc. #MUFC ⬇️ https://t.co/qhI9iLxzqX
The Manchester United takeover by INEOS explained: 🔺 How the deal breaks down 🔺 The role the Glazers still play 🔺 What Sir Jim Ratcliffe has promised 🔺 The multi-club ownership question The definitive guide to the #MUFC takeover, by @lauriewhitwell... ⤵️
Explained: What INEOS’ investment means for Manchester United 🔺 What’s the deal? 🔺 What has INEOS promised for #MUFC? 🔺 Are all the Glazers staying? 🔺 Where is the initial $300m investment going? 🔺 PL approval timeframe ➕ lots more @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/TlguTYu5gu
Months of talks between the British billionaire and the Glazers have finally been concluded and Ratcliffe will now take control of footballing matters at the club https://t.co/VXXoXEocIz
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's to-do list ✏️ Four issues that need to be sorted out at Man Utd 🔴 #BBCFootball https://t.co/y9Wixn3J8S
With Ratcliffe confirmed it's worth revisiting this excellent piece by @DickinsonTimes on why Sir Jim couldn't resist the Manchester United rebuild project https://t.co/6H0aqGZwYm
Final details now being sorted in Glazers/INEOS deal - could be today (although that is something that’s been said a lot last month) There was a significant breakthrough on Friday.
Ratcliffe's Manchester Utd deal delayed by concerns for minority shareholders -FT https://t.co/KxZY1uSo3E https://t.co/DUhtQz0G4U
Rinse and repeat. Of the 11 post-Ferguson seasons, 0 have produced a title challenge and this is the 4th that easily qualifies as an unmitigated disaster. Good luck Jim Ratcliffe. You are inheriting an abomination of a club. https://t.co/Qw0IL3VSzp