BRITISH billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has officially indicated an interest in taking over the ownership of Manchester United through his company Ineos.
Manchester United’s owners, the Glazer family from the United States of America, declared in November that they were exploring strategic alternatives, including selling the club.
The club has been owned by the Glazer family since 2005 but they have faced regular protests from fans over their debts and unsatisfactory investment in infrastructure and the playing squad.
Ratcliffe, who is a lifelong Manchester United fan, made an unsuccessful bid to buy Chelsea last year after Russian owner Roman Abramovich was forced to put the London club up for sale in the aftermath of his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ratcliffe was born in Manchester and one of the richest men in the United Kingdom, with his personal wealth estimated at between £6 billion and £11 billion.
Ineos, his petrochemicals firm, makes about £50bn in annual sales and employs more than 26,000 people across 29 countries, according to the BBC.
The Ineos group is already investing in club ownership, owning French Ligue 1 side Nice and Swiss club Lausanne, and also has a five-year partnership with Formula 1 team Mercedes.
American investment firm Raine Group, who handled Chelsea’s £4.25bn sale in May, is advising United on the proposed sale of the club.
The Glazers are believed to be looking to sell the club, considered to be one of the biggest in the world, for between £5bn and £6bn.
