British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is “a potential buyer” of Manchester United if the English club is up for sale, a spokesman for the owner of the energy group Ineos said on Wednesday.
According to press reports, the Glazer family is considering selling a minority stake in the capital of the club, 20th and last in the standings following 2 days.
Quoted by The Times, the Ineos spokesperson indicates that Jim Ratcliffe, often presented as the richest man in Great Britain, is ready to buy a minority share, “if it is possible“, to prepare, “long-term“, a total takeover at Old Trafford.
He had tried Chelsea
The Glazer family invested in the club in 2005, but have often been accused of using it as a cash cow instead of investing in players or the renovation of the Old Trafford stadium. ManU has not won the league title since 2013, nor a major trophy since 2017. Ratcliffe, a proven Manchester United fan, had tried in the spring to buy Chelsea. In vain.
Ineos already owns OGC Nice and Lausanne-Sport. The group also has a leading cycling team and also sponsors Mercedes in F1.
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