Alan Nixon, a journalist for The Sun, revealed on his podcast that the INEOS owner “hopes to be running” the club by next Monday.

Nixon also indicates Sir Jim Brailsford will be a significant figure in Ratcliffe’s new sporting structure. This is not thought to be the only personnel change in the works, however.

Paul Mitchell has been strongly linked as a potential director of football in this new-look executive branch at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe is thought to have been a long-term admirer of Mitchell, who has worked previously at Monaco, RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton.

A proposed change at the chief executive position has also been vaunted. Jean-Claude Blanc, previously of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, has been suggested as a potential option for this role, having recently joined INEOS to oversee their sporting portfolio.

As such, the two figures who occupy these spaces at present at Old Trafford – John Murtough and Richard Arnold – are thought to be in a potentially perilous position. Reports suggest the pair face a fight to “convince” their new boss of their place at the club.

Ratcliffe’s bid for a minority stake of United (25%) is thought to be worth in the region of £1.25 billion; a figure considered a “premium” by sources close to the deal.

As a result, the price only makes sense when the inclusion of full sporting control at Old Trafford is factored in, as well as a potential pathway to full ownership.

The proposal is also reported to include an infrastructure investment pledge with it, worth £245 million. This money will be exclusively utilised to improve the facilities at the club, and will be entirely financed by Ratcliffe – it will, crucially, not add to United’s existing debt.

This means Ratcliffe’s intial investment into the club could reach a total of around £1.5 billion.

These reports constitute positive steps towards the comprehensive overhaul desperately required at Old Trafford, both on and off the pitch.

With Nixon suggesting the first of these steps is set to be made next week, it will represent something of an early Christmas present for the fanbase after what has been an absymal start to the season.

The post Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to take control at Manchester United by next week appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Almost one year after the Glazers announced their intention to explore strategic options for United including a full or partial sale, the process is expected to come to an end by way of Sir Jim Ratcliffe completing a 25% investment into the club.

The withdrawal of Qatari royal Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani paved the way for Sir Jim to emerge victorious.

The British businessman’s proposal is contingent on being granted full sporting control at Old Trafford.

INEOS are also understood to have inserted clauses that would see the petrochemical giants eventually assume full control of United, with the Glazers finally leaving entirely.

Sir Jim intends to undertake a radical overhaul of United’s operations with a view to making it one of the best-run clubs in the world.

The 71-year-old is also keen on implementing a multi-club model that would see United incorporated into a network of football teams owned by INEOS.

A recent report covered by The Peoples Person revealed that Sir Jim has been holding regular virtual calls with Joel Glazer to discuss potential changes to structural organization and personnel replacements.

Amidst all this, Nick Train, who is a United shareholder revealed that talks over Sir Jim’s deal with the Glazers have been “extraordinarily convoluted and lengthy.”

He told The Financial Times (via This is Money) that he can only “assume” negotiations are still ongoing.

Train via the Train investment fund owns a 20 per cent shareholding in the Red Devils.

He remarked, “It would be wonderful if our investors end up seeing that value accorded to the shares that we own on their behalf.”

The post “Extraordinarily convoluted and lengthy”: Man United shareholder slams Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s deal with Glazers appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Manchester United’s takeover saga has been the major talking point surrounding Old Trafford since the Glazer family opened the club up to the market last November.

A year on, it looks a though Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS consortium have won the race to invest in United after Sheikh Jassim’s full sale offers were rejected by the current owners.

Sir Jim appears to have agreed a 25% stake in the club with £245 million being rumoured as the investment figure.

It’s important to note Ratcliffe’s proposal is yet to be officially confirmed by the club but the partnership is set to be communicated in the coming weeks.

As reported by The Mirror, former United captain Gary Neville has spoken on his feelings toward the rumoured figures of investment.

Speaking on the ‘Gary Neville Podcast’ for Sky Sports, the former defender says fans will not be overly impressed by the reported numbers as investment into the decaying Old Trafford would require much deeper funds than those currently being tabled by Ratcliffe.

“You don’t sit here as a Manchester United fan, wholly impressed by the idea of £245m going in to improve the stadium because we know that Real Madrid and Barcelona are spending a billion to get their stadiums right with a full refit.

“We know that other clubs have spent significantly more. So, we know that is not actually going to touch the sides properly of a full refurb of Old Trafford,” he said.

However, Neville does believe that Ratcliffe’s business acumen is enough to suggest he has further plans for Old Trafford and the initial sum is likely to form the initial part of a instalment plan to restore the ground to its former glory.

“But what it is, is a significant amount of money – and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a smart and successful businessman.

“He’s not going to put £245m into something and let it go down the drain, so I suspect it is probably the first instalment of some sort of plan that means that they will phase the refurbishment of the stadium over two or three different seasons,” said Neville.

As mentioned, Ratcliffe is hoping to complete his deal for a stake in the club in the coming weeks and will be hoping United can muster up some form in time for his takeover.

United travel to Copenhagen for a must-win Champions League Group A game tonight, before hosting Luton Town in the Premier League on Saturday.

The post Gary Neville says Manchester United fans will not be impressed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £245m investment appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

The prospect of a new takeover bid for Manchester United by Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani has been ruled out by Sky Sports, though he wishes the club well and wants them to be as “successful as possible.”

Speaking on the Sky Sports news channel, Kaveh Solhekol (video below) revealed Sheikh Jassim “remains a Man Utd supporter” despite his efforts to gain control of the club ultimately failing.

Sheikh Jassim remains a Man Utd supporter and wants them to be as successful as possible despite failing to agree a deal to buy the club from the Glazers pic.twitter.com/AmtquE9CFz

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 7, 2023

The Qatari banker’s bid, which was directed through the 92 Foundation, was for one hundred percent ownership at Old Trafford, worth in the region of £5 billion.

Solhekol reports that the Glazers were asking for £6 billion to secure such a deal.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe rivalled Sheikh Jassim with the INEOS owner the only other credible contender in the takeover race, which was sparked last November when the Glazers announced they were considering a “strategic review” of the club, which would include a potential sale.

Ratcliffe’s flexibility ultimately saw him outmanoeuver his competitor, agreeing a minority stake deal for 25% ownership, worth a fee around £1.25 billion.

The bid has a reported infrastructure investment pledge attached to it – worth £245 million – meaning Ractliffe’s propsal totals an investment of roughly £1.5 billion, subject to ratification.

There had been rumours, mostly on social media, that Sheikh Jassim could perform a stunning u-turn and return to the process with a new bid. Solhekol refutes this idea, however.

The Sky Sports news reporter reveals the Qatari banker is no longer “in the picture” for a takeover bid, with “no indication” that will change.

The team responsible for Sheikh Jassim’s bids has been “disbanded” with the unsuccessful process costing the businessman “millions of pounds”; losses he has been forced to absorb with no return.

As such, there is considered zero possibility he will reverse his decision to withdraw from negotiations, originally citing an “unrealistic and fanciful” evaluation by the Glazers for the price of their club as the reason.

Solhekol contends Sheikh Jassim’s support of the club has not wavered, however.

The post Sheikh Jassim affirms his support for club despite unsuccessful bid appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Ratcliffe is closing in on a 25% partial investment into United that will essentially make him a minority owner.

The INEOS billionaire’s proposal is contingent on being granted full control of United’s sporting operations.

Already, it’s understood that Ratcliffe has identified possible individuals to spearhead his revolution at Old Trafford.

Former AS Monaco, Tottenham Hotspur and RB Leipzig football director Paul Mitchell is under strong consideration for a key role at United.

Ex-CEO of Juventus Jean-Claude Blanc is also on track to come in for a top job at United when Ratcliffe’s arrangement with the Glazers becomes official.

According to The Manchester Evening News, Ratcliffe is in regular consultation with Joel Glazer, who last stepped foot in Manchester in 2019 for the Red Devils’ quarter-final clash against Barcelona.

“Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been holding virtual meetings with Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer ahead of the Ineos Group’s impending investment in the club.”

“Ratcliffe is also believed to have held extensive talks with Glazer about potential changes to United’s structure, including possible personnel changes.”

“United chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough are thought to be at risk.”

A previous report covered by The Peoples Person divulged that Ratcliffe harbours ambitions of implementing a multi-club model at United.

Football Insider have given a small update on this and mentioned that the British businessman is aiming to add up to two clubs to his network within the next 12-24 months of his United takeover.

The report states, “At present, Man United are unable to sign international Under-18 players due to Brexit-changing work permit rules – and that is hugely affecting their ability to source and develop elite young talent.”

“A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Red Devils chiefs currently feel that they are working with ‘one hand tied behind their back.'”

INEOS already own Swiss side Lausanne and French giants OGC Nice. These two clubs would be incorporated into an ecosystem also featuring United.

The post Sir Jim Ratcliffe holding video calls with Joel Glazer about potential radical changes at Man United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

That could be about to change, if recent reports are to be believed.

Football Insider reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is planning to implement a multi-club model, with United expected to be at the front of it.

The boyhood United fan will take over 25% of the club soon, and consequently, become in charge of sporting matters at Old Trafford.

Besides other announcements like committing money for the club’s redevelopment, this announcement will come as the biggest excitement for fans.

The likes of Manchester City have shown that a multi-club model, when implemented correctly, can create a conveyor belt of talent across the world.

Furthermore, with Brexit, English clubs are unable to sign foreign players under the age of 18.

Ethical issues aside, multi-club models help in navigating this issue, as the player is bought by the ownership group, instead of a club, and is transferred later to the desired club under that ownership.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe already has a head start in his plans to implement it at United.

OGC Nice at Ligue 1 and Lausanne in Switzerland are the two big European clubs in his bag and there’s also Abidjan in the African continent under INEOS.

Glazers never really showed interest in growing the club and always seemed happy to take their yearly dividends, while investing the bare minimum (of the club’s money) back into it to qualify for the Champions League.

If United are dragged back into the 21st century by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, then United’s enduring global appeal makes the club a sleeping giant ready to get back to the big time.

Just a few right decisions need to be taken, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is making all the right noises as of this moment.

The post Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans to spearhead multi-club model with Manchester United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

His present partners in other ventures seem eager to join him in this deal.

BBC reports that Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has expressed his intention to join Ratcliffe’s bid due to the long working partnership they’ve had.

Ratcliffe’s INEOS firm owns a third of the Mercedes F1 team, with Wolff and Sir Jim owning an equal number of shares.

Since taking over Mercedes in an executive capacity in 2013, Wolff has been a huge success story, riding the wave of Lewis Hamilton’s emergence to become one of the most successful teams in the sport.

His partnership with INEOS has been fruitful for both sides, something which Wolff alluded to while making his intentions clear.

Wolff said that he was highly impressed by the plan Sir Jim had laid out for United and the mutual trust means that if he could contribute, he would definitely be interested.

“Jim has shared the trajectory with me. I very much respect his values and we trust each other.

“If we felt I could contribute then I would consider joining him at Manchester United,” he said.

He also namechecked Ola Kallenius, the CEO of Mercedes-Benz, and their long-running partnership, saying that they have been “three amigos” because they live in a no-nonsense world.

“Our personal relationship is strong and with Ola Kallenius (Mercedes-Benz chief executive), they call us the Three Amigos because we live in the no-nonsense world,” he said.

While Wolff was quick to point out that any realistic prospect of such an investment is far away -Sir Jim is still waiting for ratification of his own bid- the fact that he is now the second person to throw his hat in the ring after legendary golfer Rory McIlroy proves that United retain their trophy asset value despite a nightmare time post-Sir Alex.

The post Toto Wolff announces intention to join Sir Jim Ratcliffe in buying into Manchester United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

The wealth of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s wealthiest men, is now of burning interest to millions of Manchester United fans across the globe, as he appears to have outmuscled Sheikh Jassim to become a part owner of the football club.

The Athletic has taken a deep dive into Sir Jim’s finances to map out to United fans just what their potential new minority investor could theoretically do.

The article begins by illustrating some of the incredible personal wealth Ratcliffe possesses. The Greater Manchester born billionaire is the proud owner of one of the world’s best cycling teams, a third of the Mercedes Formula One team and a $150m super yacht. To carry on the F1 theme, Ratcliffe has Michael Schumacher’s first ever Ferrari nestled safely in his personal garage. He is not short of a few bob.

To back this up, The UK Sunday Times Rich List of May 2023 places him in 2nd place with a net worth of just under £30m. He even topped the list in 2018. However, Ratcliffe slipped down to 27th over the next four years before storming back into second place this year.

The article puts this down to the fact that most of Sir Jim’s company’s wealth (INEOS) is tied up in some of the global economy’s “most cyclical sectors”. These include energy, chemicals and plastics where profits can “swing wildly” year to year. What is clear though, is Ratcliffe is worth a lot.

The Athletic attempts to shed light on the complexity of evaluating just how much wealth a billionaire has. The Sunday Times Rich List claim that they do not know how much money is in personal bank accounts or small shareholdings in private portfolios. The publication can only judge on what they call “identifiable wealth” such as land, property, racehorses, art or shareholdings in listed companies.

The chemicals company INEOS, which Sir Jim owns 60% of, is also complex to say the least. The business is broken up into 36 different ones, located in 194 sites within 29 different countries. To make things slightly simpler, for accounting purposes the company is separated into three main holding companies of which, only two publish public accounts.

Assessing the wealth of the chemicals giant is a bit of a guessing game to say the least. However, the article claims that in 2022 INEOS posted a revenue of £35bn and profits of £3.5bn. The Forbes Rich List have also taken a stab at Ratcliffe’s overall wealth. Their 2023 edition has placed the British billionaire in 67th place in the world, with an overall personal wealth of $22.9bn. However, The Athletic feels Forbes have made the error of only crediting Sir Jim with INEOS´s visible wealth.

No matter what way you look at it, if Ratcliffe is successful in buying the 25% stake in the club, he has money to bring to the table. United fans and shareholders however, are not so confident. Share prices plummeted in the aftermath of Sheikh Jassim’s announcement that he had withdrawn from the process of taking over the club and only the British-born billionaire was left as a viable option.

The Athletic argues this is due to Red Devils fans feeling like they have lost a game show. They look enviously at the wealth of the nation of Qatar and wonder what could have been? Sheikh Jassim’s bid boasted that they would purchase all of the 69% of the club owned by the Glazer family while clearing the debts, in cash. Old Trafford would also have hypothetically seen a lavish makeover.

Although, the article does try to reassure United fans about Ratcliffe’s offer. It is reported that INEOS won’t be happy being a minority partner for long and will see the 25% stake as the first step in a full takeover. It is also stated that the chemicals company regularly takes on debt much greater than United’s but has a “good credit history” where banks call the company to lend money and not the other way around. The publication goes on to assert that INEOS will also put any new debt on their own books and not the club’s. The opposite approach of the current owners.

The Athletic finishes by claiming that Sir Jim grew up around 10 minutes away from the stadium and knows that the Mancunian team could comfortably sell another 15,000 tickets per home game. Therefore, investing in Old Trafford is seen as inevitable by the piece’s author. It is also noted that the British company has experience in construction projects much more complicated than that of a football stadium.

What can be concluded then is Sir Jim Ratcliffe has huge amounts of personal wealth. The questions that all Man United fans need answering are, how much and how well will he spend it to get the club back to where it believes it belongs?

The post The wealth of Sir Jim Ratcliffe explored appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

After months of seemingly never-ending meetings and bids, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani’s attempt to purchase Manchester United football has unravelled.

According to The Athletic, The Qatari’s £5 billion bid for 100% of the club has been outmanoeuvred by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3bn for a 25% stake. The INEOS owner’s bid has yet to be agreed and approved by the board however Sheikh Jassim has seemingly admitted defeat by publicly withdrawing his offer on the 15th of October.

Adam Crafton, the author of piece, states that Jassim’s bid for total control of the football club could never really convince the club due to the Glazers’ belief that there is huge untapped financial growth at Manchester United.

During meetings in March between potential investors and the club, the American family claimed that by 2027, the Mancunian football team could be generating 1bn pounds in revenue from improved commercial, broadcast and matchday revenue. Their optimism lies in an enhanced Champions League broadcast package available from next year and additionally the creation of a new-look FIFA Club World Cup.

The Athletic writer states that while it is not unusual for companies to be over-ambitious when pitching to investors, the fact that they were emboldened to turn down a full control package of less than their suggested asking price of £6.5bn alludes to the fact they really do believe in this potential growth.

Another factor why the Qatari bid was unsuccessful is potentially the involvement of his father Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani (HBJ in diplomatic circles). Jassim’s father was the former deputy head of Qatar´s sovereign fund and Qatar Investment Authority. Crafton also states that HBJ is known to drive a hard bargain and maintains a scepticism that investments in major football clubs yield significant returns.

Even though representatives of the Qatari bid always stressed their unattachment to the Qatari state, many sources in Doha find this unlikely. They claim that there is no way such a large scale, public bid could be made without the Qatari political establishment giving it the rubber stamp of approval.

Resultingly, Sheikh Jassim’s bid also had to live with public criticism. FairSquare, a human rights research group, wrote to UEFA and the Premier League asserting that “a basic study of Qatari’s political and economic system amply demonstrates the impossibility of Qatari Consortium providing itself independent of state influence”.

Additionally, Amnesty International has also called out the bid as attempted sports washing while LGBQT groups also criticised the potential sale of the club to a group so connected with the Middle Eastern state.

This begs the question, what will Jassim’s Nine Two Foundation or indeed the Qataris do next? The Athletic article puts forward the notion that Sheikh Jassim will not entertain the idea of investing in another Premier League club due to his support of Manchester United. Although only time will tell if this is true.

The Qatari Investment Authority has already explored investment opportunities in Tottenham and has already bought a 5% stake in Monumental Sports and Entertainment which owns the Washington Wizards NBA team. The group is also in the premature stages of investing in the Los Angeles sport and entertainment industries.

One of the reasons the state of Qatar is so heavily involved in investment talks is due to the challenging world outlook the country faces while being so dependent on the sale of gas. Therefore, like their Middle Eastern neighbours, they want to diversify their economy through seeking opportunities to invest in endeavours such as financial institutions, real estate and technology.

Simultaneously in the sporting sphere, they have already won the rights to the Asian Football Cup in 2024 and the Asian Games in 2030. The state has also won a slot on the F1 calendar. Furthermore, they have plans in place to bid for the 2036 Olympic Games either alone or in a joint bid with Saudi Arabia.

Increasingly it seems Manchester United are out of reach for Sheikh Jassim and Qatar but in a sporting context, they have most likely just begun.

The post An inside look into Sheikh Jassim’s doomed bid for Manchester United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

As reported earlier today by The Peoples Person, the club’s annual report, released yesterday, shows that this summer’s entire transfer window was funded by loans.

These loans totalled around £130 million, leaving just £40 million of the club’s £300m credit facility left available.

United fans would not be shocked to see another January, like that of 2023, in which Ten Hag is told there is no money for transfers, even if key players are ruled out for the season.

But the bigger issue is what will happen next summer if Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3bn investment into the club does not go ahead.

There will literally be only £40 million available for transfers, assuming further borrowing does not take place between now and then.

If United exercise their buy option on Sofyan Amrabat of £21.4 million, only £18.6 will remain.

With Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad al Thani having pulled out of the race to sign United, Sir Jim has the Glazers over a barrel.

Unless they can secure credit elsewhere, which is becoming increasingly unlikely given the state of the club and the size of the existing debt, the INEOS chief is the only lifeline left for the Glazers.

An announcement over his investment is yet to come and there have been reports of issues to be ironed out in terms of whether or not he will be given total control over footballing matters.

If the Glazers refuse to accede to his demands and he walks away, it is hard to see how United can avoid financial ruin.

With no money for transfers and a decaying stadium and training facilities, we are looking at a scenario in which the greedy Glazers will have asset-stripped one of the world’s biggest football clubs into obscurity.

This really is make-or-break time for the entire future of the Red Devils. Whatever fans might think of Sir Jim or of the fact that it is not an outright sale, failure to complete this deal will be catastrophic.

The post Make or break time: Why Man United’s entire survival pivots on Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.