And he was hailed as the “perfect” man to take over the crisis club by Red Devils legend Viv Anderson. 6 Sir Jim Ratcliffe would love to invest in his beloved Manchester UnitedCredit: Alamy 6 The hugely unpopular Glazers are believed to be open to selling a stake in the clubCredit: Getty 6 Pressure mounts after protests from fans of UnitedCredit: Getty Current owners the Glazer family are said to be open to selling a minority stake in the crisis-hit Premier League club, which has been reported to be worth a total of £5bn. Pressure is mounting for something to give after massive fan protests against the family in recent years. Fans marched at Old Trafford with anti-Glazers banners and flares ahead of their season opener against Brighton, with fresh protests ahead of Monday’s game against Liverpool. And Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men, would jump at the chance to invest in the Old Trafford side and take “total control”. Ratcliffe – believed to be worth around £11billion – would even want to buy the entire club outright if the Glazers decided to sell outright and is prepared to pay whatever is required to overhaul the club and modernize the crumbling stadium 76,000 seats. A spokesman said: “If the club is for sale, Jim is certainly a potential buyer. “If such a thing were possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership. “It’s not about the money spent or not spent. “Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, he feels the time is right to bring it back.” Former United star Anderson said: “Sir Jim is a Salford boy, no matter how much money he’s made. He knows the heart of the club, he knows the hearts of the fans. “Sir Jim is a Manchester United man, and he would be the perfect man to take over the club. “The Glazers had their moment – they had their time at Manchester United. “I would back Sir Jim to take over and I know the millions of United fans around the world would too.” And as a United fan, Ratcliffe will be horrified by the way the team have started under Erik ten Haag. A lack of investment from the top has seen United resort to cut-price deals for the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot – both of whom have now collapsed. Not only that, Ten Haag also has to deal with an unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo. The Dutchman is open to letting the 37-year-old starlet leave the club, while the Glazers want him to stay. But while no money is flowing into the club for transfers and the upkeep of Old Trafford, much has been taken from United’s bank balance. It was revealed earlier in the week that the Glazers have taken around £1.1billion out of the club since they first arrived in 2005, with the net debt now standing at £627m. Things on the pitch are also miserable. United have lost their opening two games of the season and are bottom of the league after their worst start under a new manager in 101 years. SunSport can reveal that American global equity firm Apollo – which two years ago tried to buy the famous Caesars Palace hotel complex in Las Vegas – is also interested in taking up the Glazers’ offer. The Daily Mail report has already begun exclusive talks between the US private equity firm and the Glazer family. Former Manchester United manager Michael Knighton is also desperate to oust the current owners. He has teamed up with three billionaires to put pressure on the Glazers – and has openly asked for Ratcliffe’s support in the joint venture. FREE BET AND SIGN UP OFFERS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS Knighton told ITV: “They have destroyed the brand. This isn’t personal against the Glazers, they’ve just always had the wrong model. “We are not some sovereign wealth fund of a nation state that has oil revenue of two billion a day. “If we can smoke the great Sir Jim into buying Manchester United, my joint venture will hit the air because we have achieved what we set out to do.” However, the Times reports that Ratcliffe “tends to seek full control” of any business he invests in – and may therefore be reluctant to be part of the Knighton team. Ratcliffe grew up on a council estate in Failsworth, Manchester, and made his money as CEO of Ineos, the multinational chemical company. His fortune is now said to have fallen to around £6bn and he was ranked 27th in the 2022 Sunday Times Rich List. The 69-year-old, who is a lifelong supporter of the Red Devils, failed in a last-ditch bid to buy Chelsea earlier in May.
IN-EOS KNOWS IT
But he already has experience in sports. In 2017, it bought Swiss top division football club FC Lausanne-Sport in 2017. Then two years later he bought Nice in France and also pumped money into cycling’s Team Sky – renaming them Team Ineos. Ineos has also sponsored Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team and the Mercedes F1 team. News of Ratcliffe’s interest in United comes just hours after fans were blown away by Elon Musk’s tweet that he would try to persuade the unpopular Glazer family to sell. But the Tesla boss let them down again by confirming it was a joke. However, interest from Ratcliffe has delighted supporters at the prospect of seeing the Glazers back. The Tampa-based family – led by brothers and co-chairmen Avram and Joel – have sparked widespread anger at the club’s management since their takeover in 2005. We’ll celebrate Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying Manchester United more than we celebrated the treble in ’99 United believers Old Trafford chiefs refused to comment on Ratcliffe’s interest, but United fans have been pouncing on them on social media to back the bid. The United Faithfuls tweeted: “If Sir Jim Ratcliffe manages to buy Manchester United we’ll be celebrating more than we celebrated the treble in ’99.” Ian Sterling of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust blasted: “With the lack of player investment and the performance of the squad, it’s all come to a head. “It’s been mismanaged for so long and it’s going downhill. “The manager is probably now wondering what he has got himself into. “We would welcome anyone with the financial means to make a serious bid for United – owners with the same priorities as the fans.” 6 Manchester United fans are desperate to see the end of the Glazers eraCredit: PA 6 Ratcliffe bought Nice in France in 2019 to add to his portfolioCredit: Alamy 6 It has also invested in the Mercedes F1 teamCredit: AFP
title: “Britain S Richest Man Sir Jim Ratcliffe Worth 15Bn Wants To Buy Manchester United And Hold Takeover Talks With The Glazers Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-21” author: “Mark Wells”
And he was hailed as the “perfect” man to take over the crisis club by Red Devils legend Viv Anderson. 6 Sir Jim Ratcliffe would love to invest in his beloved Manchester UnitedCredit: Alamy 6 The hugely unpopular Glazers are believed to be open to selling a stake in the clubCredit: Getty 6 Pressure mounts after protests from fans of UnitedCredit: Getty Current owners the Glazer family are said to be open to selling a minority stake in the crisis-hit Premier League club, which has been reported to be worth a total of £5bn. Pressure is mounting for something to give after massive fan protests against the family in recent years. Fans marched at Old Trafford with anti-Glazers banners and flares ahead of their season opener against Brighton, with fresh protests ahead of Monday’s game against Liverpool. And Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men, would jump at the chance to invest in the Old Trafford side and take “total control”. Ratcliffe – believed to be worth around £11billion – would even want to buy the entire club outright if the Glazers decided to sell outright and is prepared to pay whatever is required to overhaul the club and modernize the crumbling stadium 76,000 seats. A spokesman said: “If the club is for sale, Jim is certainly a potential buyer. “If such a thing were possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership. “It’s not about the money spent or not spent. “Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, he feels the time is right to bring it back.” Former United star Anderson said: “Sir Jim is a Salford boy, no matter how much money he’s made. He knows the heart of the club, he knows the hearts of the fans. “Sir Jim is a Manchester United man, and he would be the perfect man to take over the club. “The Glazers had their moment – they had their time at Manchester United. “I would back Sir Jim to take over and I know the millions of United fans around the world would too.” And as a United fan, Ratcliffe will be horrified by the way the team have started under Erik ten Haag. A lack of investment from the top has seen United resort to cut-price deals for the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot – both of whom have now collapsed. Not only that, Ten Haag also has to deal with an unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo. The Dutchman is open to letting the 37-year-old starlet leave the club, while the Glazers want him to stay. But while no money is flowing into the club for transfers and the upkeep of Old Trafford, much has been taken from United’s bank balance. It was revealed earlier in the week that the Glazers have taken around £1.1billion out of the club since they first arrived in 2005, with the net debt now standing at £627m. Things on the pitch are also miserable. United have lost their opening two games of the season and are bottom of the league after their worst start under a new manager in 101 years. SunSport can reveal that American global equity firm Apollo – which two years ago tried to buy the famous Caesars Palace hotel complex in Las Vegas – is also interested in taking up the Glazers’ offer. The Daily Mail report has already begun exclusive talks between the US private equity firm and the Glazer family. Former Manchester United manager Michael Knighton is also desperate to oust the current owners. He has teamed up with three billionaires to put pressure on the Glazers – and has openly asked for Ratcliffe’s support in the joint venture. FREE BET AND SIGN UP OFFERS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS Knighton told ITV: “They have destroyed the brand. This isn’t personal against the Glazers, they’ve just always had the wrong model. “We are not some sovereign wealth fund of a nation state that has oil revenue of two billion a day. “If we can smoke the great Sir Jim into buying Manchester United, my joint venture will hit the air because we have achieved what we set out to do.” However, the Times reports that Ratcliffe “tends to seek full control” of any business he invests in – and may therefore be reluctant to be part of the Knighton team. Ratcliffe grew up on a council estate in Failsworth, Manchester, and made his money as CEO of Ineos, the multinational chemical company. His fortune is now said to have fallen to around £6bn and he was ranked 27th in the 2022 Sunday Times Rich List. The 69-year-old, who is a lifelong supporter of the Red Devils, failed in a last-ditch bid to buy Chelsea earlier in May.
IN-EOS KNOWS IT
But he already has experience in sports. In 2017, it bought Swiss top division football club FC Lausanne-Sport in 2017. Then two years later he bought Nice in France and also pumped money into cycling’s Team Sky – renaming them Team Ineos. Ineos has also sponsored Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team and the Mercedes F1 team. News of Ratcliffe’s interest in United comes just hours after fans were blown away by Elon Musk’s tweet that he would try to persuade the unpopular Glazer family to sell. But the Tesla boss let them down again by confirming it was a joke. However, interest from Ratcliffe has delighted supporters at the prospect of seeing the Glazers back. The Tampa-based family – led by brothers and co-chairmen Avram and Joel – have sparked widespread anger at the club’s management since their takeover in 2005. We’ll celebrate Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying Manchester United more than we celebrated the treble in ’99 United believers Old Trafford chiefs refused to comment on Ratcliffe’s interest, but United fans have been pouncing on them on social media to back the bid. The United Faithfuls tweeted: “If Sir Jim Ratcliffe manages to buy Manchester United we’ll be celebrating more than we celebrated the treble in ’99.” Ian Sterling of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust blasted: “With the lack of player investment and the performance of the squad, it’s all come to a head. “It’s been mismanaged for so long and it’s going downhill. “The manager is probably now wondering what he has got himself into. “We would welcome anyone with the financial means to make a serious bid for United – owners with the same priorities as the fans.” 6 Manchester United fans are desperate to see the end of the Glazers eraCredit: PA 6 Ratcliffe bought Nice in France in 2019 to add to his portfolioCredit: Alamy 6 It has also invested in the Mercedes F1 teamCredit: AFP
title: “Britain S Richest Man Sir Jim Ratcliffe Worth 15Bn Wants To Buy Manchester United And Hold Takeover Talks With The Glazers Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-03” author: “Jeff Crafton”
And he was hailed as the “perfect” man to take over the crisis club by Red Devils legend Viv Anderson. 6 Sir Jim Ratcliffe would love to invest in his beloved Manchester UnitedCredit: Alamy 6 The hugely unpopular Glazers are believed to be open to selling a stake in the clubCredit: Getty 6 Pressure mounts after protests from fans of UnitedCredit: Getty Current owners the Glazer family are said to be open to selling a minority stake in the crisis-hit Premier League club, which has been reported to be worth a total of £5bn. Pressure is mounting for something to give after massive fan protests against the family in recent years. Fans marched at Old Trafford with anti-Glazers banners and flares ahead of their season opener against Brighton, with fresh protests ahead of Monday’s game against Liverpool. And Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men, would jump at the chance to invest in the Old Trafford side and take “total control”. Ratcliffe – believed to be worth around £11billion – would even want to buy the entire club outright if the Glazers decided to sell outright and is prepared to pay whatever is required to overhaul the club and modernize the crumbling stadium 76,000 seats. A spokesman said: “If the club is for sale, Jim is certainly a potential buyer. “If such a thing were possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership. “It’s not about the money spent or not spent. “Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, he feels the time is right to bring it back.” Former United star Anderson said: “Sir Jim is a Salford boy, no matter how much money he’s made. He knows the heart of the club, he knows the hearts of the fans. “Sir Jim is a Manchester United man, and he would be the perfect man to take over the club. “The Glazers had their moment – they had their time at Manchester United. “I would back Sir Jim to take over and I know the millions of United fans around the world would too.” And as a United fan, Ratcliffe will be horrified by the way the team have started under Erik ten Haag. A lack of investment from the top has seen United resort to cut-price deals for the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot – both of whom have now collapsed. Not only that, Ten Haag also has to deal with an unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo. The Dutchman is open to letting the 37-year-old starlet leave the club, while the Glazers want him to stay. But while no money is flowing into the club for transfers and the upkeep of Old Trafford, much has been taken from United’s bank balance. It was revealed earlier in the week that the Glazers have taken around £1.1billion out of the club since they first arrived in 2005, with the net debt now standing at £627m. Things on the pitch are also miserable. United have lost their opening two games of the season and are bottom of the league after their worst start under a new manager in 101 years. SunSport can reveal that American global equity firm Apollo – which two years ago tried to buy the famous Caesars Palace hotel complex in Las Vegas – is also interested in taking up the Glazers’ offer. The Daily Mail report has already begun exclusive talks between the US private equity firm and the Glazer family. Former Manchester United manager Michael Knighton is also desperate to oust the current owners. He has teamed up with three billionaires to put pressure on the Glazers – and has openly asked for Ratcliffe’s support in the joint venture. FREE BET AND SIGN UP OFFERS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS Knighton told ITV: “They have destroyed the brand. This isn’t personal against the Glazers, they’ve just always had the wrong model. “We are not some sovereign wealth fund of a nation state that has oil revenue of two billion a day. “If we can smoke the great Sir Jim into buying Manchester United, my joint venture will hit the air because we have achieved what we set out to do.” However, the Times reports that Ratcliffe “tends to seek full control” of any business he invests in – and may therefore be reluctant to be part of the Knighton team. Ratcliffe grew up on a council estate in Failsworth, Manchester, and made his money as CEO of Ineos, the multinational chemical company. His fortune is now said to have fallen to around £6bn and he was ranked 27th in the 2022 Sunday Times Rich List. The 69-year-old, who is a lifelong supporter of the Red Devils, failed in a last-ditch bid to buy Chelsea earlier in May.
IN-EOS KNOWS IT
But he already has experience in sports. In 2017, it bought Swiss top division football club FC Lausanne-Sport in 2017. Then two years later he bought Nice in France and also pumped money into cycling’s Team Sky – renaming them Team Ineos. Ineos has also sponsored Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team and the Mercedes F1 team. News of Ratcliffe’s interest in United comes just hours after fans were blown away by Elon Musk’s tweet that he would try to persuade the unpopular Glazer family to sell. But the Tesla boss let them down again by confirming it was a joke. However, interest from Ratcliffe has delighted supporters at the prospect of seeing the Glazers back. The Tampa-based family – led by brothers and co-chairmen Avram and Joel – have sparked widespread anger at the club’s management since their takeover in 2005. We’ll celebrate Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying Manchester United more than we celebrated the treble in ’99 United believers Old Trafford chiefs refused to comment on Ratcliffe’s interest, but United fans have been pouncing on them on social media to back the bid. The United Faithfuls tweeted: “If Sir Jim Ratcliffe manages to buy Manchester United we’ll be celebrating more than we celebrated the treble in ’99.” Ian Sterling of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust blasted: “With the lack of player investment and the performance of the squad, it’s all come to a head. “It’s been mismanaged for so long and it’s going downhill. “The manager is probably now wondering what he has got himself into. “We would welcome anyone with the financial means to make a serious bid for United – owners with the same priorities as the fans.” 6 Manchester United fans are desperate to see the end of the Glazers eraCredit: PA 6 Ratcliffe bought Nice in France in 2019 to add to his portfolioCredit: Alamy 6 It has also invested in the Mercedes F1 teamCredit: AFP
title: “Britain S Richest Man Sir Jim Ratcliffe Worth 15Bn Wants To Buy Manchester United And Hold Takeover Talks With The Glazers Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-22” author: “Marina Krogstad”
And he was hailed as the “perfect” man to take over the crisis club by Red Devils legend Viv Anderson. 6 Sir Jim Ratcliffe would love to invest in his beloved Manchester UnitedCredit: Alamy 6 The hugely unpopular Glazers are believed to be open to selling a stake in the clubCredit: Getty 6 Pressure mounts after protests from fans of UnitedCredit: Getty Current owners the Glazer family are said to be open to selling a minority stake in the crisis-hit Premier League club, which has been reported to be worth a total of £5bn. Pressure is mounting for something to give after massive fan protests against the family in recent years. Fans marched at Old Trafford with anti-Glazers banners and flares ahead of their season opener against Brighton, with fresh protests ahead of Monday’s game against Liverpool. And Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men, would jump at the chance to invest in the Old Trafford side and take “total control”. Ratcliffe – believed to be worth around £11billion – would even want to buy the entire club outright if the Glazers decided to sell outright and is prepared to pay whatever is required to overhaul the club and modernize the crumbling stadium 76,000 seats. A spokesman said: “If the club is for sale, Jim is certainly a potential buyer. “If such a thing were possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership. “It’s not about the money spent or not spent. “Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, he feels the time is right to bring it back.” Former United star Anderson said: “Sir Jim is a Salford boy, no matter how much money he’s made. He knows the heart of the club, he knows the hearts of the fans. “Sir Jim is a Manchester United man, and he would be the perfect man to take over the club. “The Glazers had their moment – they had their time at Manchester United. “I would back Sir Jim to take over and I know the millions of United fans around the world would too.” And as a United fan, Ratcliffe will be horrified by the way the team have started under Erik ten Haag. A lack of investment from the top has seen United resort to cut-price deals for the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot – both of whom have now collapsed. Not only that, Ten Haag also has to deal with an unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo. The Dutchman is open to letting the 37-year-old starlet leave the club, while the Glazers want him to stay. But while no money is flowing into the club for transfers and the upkeep of Old Trafford, much has been taken from United’s bank balance. It was revealed earlier in the week that the Glazers have taken around £1.1billion out of the club since they first arrived in 2005, with the net debt now standing at £627m. Things on the pitch are also miserable. United have lost their opening two games of the season and are bottom of the league after their worst start under a new manager in 101 years. SunSport can reveal that American global equity firm Apollo – which two years ago tried to buy the famous Caesars Palace hotel complex in Las Vegas – is also interested in taking up the Glazers’ offer. The Daily Mail report has already begun exclusive talks between the US private equity firm and the Glazer family. Former Manchester United manager Michael Knighton is also desperate to oust the current owners. He has teamed up with three billionaires to put pressure on the Glazers – and has openly asked for Ratcliffe’s support in the joint venture. FREE BET AND SIGN UP OFFERS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS Knighton told ITV: “They have destroyed the brand. This isn’t personal against the Glazers, they’ve just always had the wrong model. “We are not some sovereign wealth fund of a nation state that has oil revenue of two billion a day. “If we can smoke the great Sir Jim into buying Manchester United, my joint venture will hit the air because we have achieved what we set out to do.” However, the Times reports that Ratcliffe “tends to seek full control” of any business he invests in – and may therefore be reluctant to be part of the Knighton team. Ratcliffe grew up on a council estate in Failsworth, Manchester, and made his money as CEO of Ineos, the multinational chemical company. His fortune is now said to have fallen to around £6bn and he was ranked 27th in the 2022 Sunday Times Rich List. The 69-year-old, who is a lifelong supporter of the Red Devils, failed in a last-ditch bid to buy Chelsea earlier in May.
IN-EOS KNOWS IT
But he already has experience in sports. In 2017, it bought Swiss top division football club FC Lausanne-Sport in 2017. Then two years later he bought Nice in France and also pumped money into cycling’s Team Sky – renaming them Team Ineos. Ineos has also sponsored Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team and the Mercedes F1 team. News of Ratcliffe’s interest in United comes just hours after fans were blown away by Elon Musk’s tweet that he would try to persuade the unpopular Glazer family to sell. But the Tesla boss let them down again by confirming it was a joke. However, interest from Ratcliffe has delighted supporters at the prospect of seeing the Glazers back. The Tampa-based family – led by brothers and co-chairmen Avram and Joel – have sparked widespread anger at the club’s management since their takeover in 2005. We’ll celebrate Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying Manchester United more than we celebrated the treble in ’99 United believers Old Trafford chiefs refused to comment on Ratcliffe’s interest, but United fans have been pouncing on them on social media to back the bid. The United Faithfuls tweeted: “If Sir Jim Ratcliffe manages to buy Manchester United we’ll be celebrating more than we celebrated the treble in ’99.” Ian Sterling of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust blasted: “With the lack of player investment and the performance of the squad, it’s all come to a head. “It’s been mismanaged for so long and it’s going downhill. “The manager is probably now wondering what he has got himself into. “We would welcome anyone with the financial means to make a serious bid for United – owners with the same priorities as the fans.” 6 Manchester United fans are desperate to see the end of the Glazers eraCredit: PA 6 Ratcliffe bought Nice in France in 2019 to add to his portfolioCredit: Alamy 6 It has also invested in the Mercedes F1 teamCredit: AFP
title: “Britain S Richest Man Sir Jim Ratcliffe Worth 15Bn Wants To Buy Manchester United And Hold Takeover Talks With The Glazers Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-20” author: “Anna Groth”
And he was hailed as the “perfect” man to take over the crisis club by Red Devils legend Viv Anderson. 6 Sir Jim Ratcliffe would love to invest in his beloved Manchester UnitedCredit: Alamy 6 The hugely unpopular Glazers are believed to be open to selling a stake in the clubCredit: Getty 6 Pressure mounts after protests from fans of UnitedCredit: Getty Current owners the Glazer family are said to be open to selling a minority stake in the crisis-hit Premier League club, which has been reported to be worth a total of £5bn. Pressure is mounting for something to give after massive fan protests against the family in recent years. Fans marched at Old Trafford with anti-Glazers banners and flares ahead of their season opener against Brighton, with fresh protests ahead of Monday’s game against Liverpool. And Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men, would jump at the chance to invest in the Old Trafford side and take “total control”. Ratcliffe – believed to be worth around £11billion – would even want to buy the entire club outright if the Glazers decided to sell outright and is prepared to pay whatever is required to overhaul the club and modernize the crumbling stadium 76,000 seats. A spokesman said: “If the club is for sale, Jim is certainly a potential buyer. “If such a thing were possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership. “It’s not about the money spent or not spent. “Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, he feels the time is right to bring it back.” Former United star Anderson said: “Sir Jim is a Salford boy, no matter how much money he’s made. He knows the heart of the club, he knows the hearts of the fans. “Sir Jim is a Manchester United man, and he would be the perfect man to take over the club. “The Glazers had their moment – they had their time at Manchester United. “I would back Sir Jim to take over and I know the millions of United fans around the world would too.” And as a United fan, Ratcliffe will be horrified by the way the team have started under Erik ten Haag. A lack of investment from the top has seen United resort to cut-price deals for the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot – both of whom have now collapsed. Not only that, Ten Haag also has to deal with an unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo. The Dutchman is open to letting the 37-year-old starlet leave the club, while the Glazers want him to stay. But while no money is flowing into the club for transfers and the upkeep of Old Trafford, much has been taken from United’s bank balance. It was revealed earlier in the week that the Glazers have taken around £1.1billion out of the club since they first arrived in 2005, with the net debt now standing at £627m. Things on the pitch are also miserable. United have lost their opening two games of the season and are bottom of the league after their worst start under a new manager in 101 years. SunSport can reveal that American global equity firm Apollo – which two years ago tried to buy the famous Caesars Palace hotel complex in Las Vegas – is also interested in taking up the Glazers’ offer. The Daily Mail report has already begun exclusive talks between the US private equity firm and the Glazer family. Former Manchester United manager Michael Knighton is also desperate to oust the current owners. He has teamed up with three billionaires to put pressure on the Glazers – and has openly asked for Ratcliffe’s support in the joint venture. FREE BET AND SIGN UP OFFERS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS Knighton told ITV: “They have destroyed the brand. This isn’t personal against the Glazers, they’ve just always had the wrong model. “We are not some sovereign wealth fund of a nation state that has oil revenue of two billion a day. “If we can smoke the great Sir Jim into buying Manchester United, my joint venture will hit the air because we have achieved what we set out to do.” However, the Times reports that Ratcliffe “tends to seek full control” of any business he invests in – and may therefore be reluctant to be part of the Knighton team. Ratcliffe grew up on a council estate in Failsworth, Manchester, and made his money as CEO of Ineos, the multinational chemical company. His fortune is now said to have fallen to around £6bn and he was ranked 27th in the 2022 Sunday Times Rich List. The 69-year-old, who is a lifelong supporter of the Red Devils, failed in a last-ditch bid to buy Chelsea earlier in May.
IN-EOS KNOWS IT
But he already has experience in sports. In 2017, it bought Swiss top division football club FC Lausanne-Sport in 2017. Then two years later he bought Nice in France and also pumped money into cycling’s Team Sky – renaming them Team Ineos. Ineos has also sponsored Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team and the Mercedes F1 team. News of Ratcliffe’s interest in United comes just hours after fans were blown away by Elon Musk’s tweet that he would try to persuade the unpopular Glazer family to sell. But the Tesla boss let them down again by confirming it was a joke. However, interest from Ratcliffe has delighted supporters at the prospect of seeing the Glazers back. The Tampa-based family – led by brothers and co-chairmen Avram and Joel – have sparked widespread anger at the club’s management since their takeover in 2005. We’ll celebrate Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying Manchester United more than we celebrated the treble in ’99 United believers Old Trafford chiefs refused to comment on Ratcliffe’s interest, but United fans have been pouncing on them on social media to back the bid. The United Faithfuls tweeted: “If Sir Jim Ratcliffe manages to buy Manchester United we’ll be celebrating more than we celebrated the treble in ’99.” Ian Sterling of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust blasted: “With the lack of player investment and the performance of the squad, it’s all come to a head. “It’s been mismanaged for so long and it’s going downhill. “The manager is probably now wondering what he has got himself into. “We would welcome anyone with the financial means to make a serious bid for United – owners with the same priorities as the fans.” 6 Manchester United fans are desperate to see the end of the Glazers eraCredit: PA 6 Ratcliffe bought Nice in France in 2019 to add to his portfolioCredit: Alamy 6 It has also invested in the Mercedes F1 teamCredit: AFP
