Manchester United

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Manchester United deal 'has been delayed'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 18 October 2023

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have to wait longer to secure his 25% purchase of Manchester United, with the final details needing to be ironed out, according to a report.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will reportedly have to wait longer to secure his 25% purchase of Manchester United, with the final details surrounding the deal needing to be ironed out.

On Saturday, it was revealed that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani had withdrawn his bid for the 20-time English champions, having become frustrated with the stance of the club's current owners.

Sheikh Jassim's decision allowed Ratcliffe to move into pole position, and the British billionaire is set to buy 25% of the Red Devils for a fee in the region of £1.5bn.

There had been suggestions that the deal would be ratified in a Man United board meeting this week, with the process now moving again after months of uncertainty.

However, according to The Telegraph, Ratcliffe's purchase will not be decided by the club's board on Thursday, as there are final details that need to be addressed.

Ineos chairman Jim Ratcliffe is pictured at Old Trafford in Manchester, Britain, March 17, 2023 © Reuters

The report claims that a deal could be signed and sealed over the next two weeks, with Ratcliffe set to gain 'immediate control of football operations' at the club.

The owner and founder of the INEOS Group had allegedly initially been looking for a majority stake before altering his stance due to the position of the Glazer family.

Ratcliffe, who is a boyhood Man United fan, is believed to be determined to complete a gradual takeover and views a 25% purchase as the ideal first step in the process.

Sheikh Jassim's final offer for the Red Devils is said to have been in excess of £5bn but still some way short of the £6bn valuation set by the Glazer family.

Manchester United fans display banners in protest against the Glazer family's ownership of the club on August 26, 2023 © Reuters

The Qatari banker is also said to have made it clear that he would be prepared to commit another £1.4bn to building a new stadium, improving the training ground and bringing in new players.

There has been significant movement over the last week, though, with Ratcliffe moving into the driving seat after making it clear that he would be prepared to come in at 25%.

Ratcliffe's arrival will not reportedly have an impact on Man United's spending power, but he will be heavily involved in restructuring the football operations.

On the field, Man United have struggled in the early stages of the 2023-24 campaign, losing six of their 11 matches in all competitions, but they recorded a 2-1 victory over Brentford before the international break.

Erik ten Hag's side will now be bidding to make it successive wins in the Premier League when they head to Sheffield United on Saturday evening.