British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to buy Manchester United. News of the 69-year-old’s interest follows a Bloomberg report that the Glazer family are willing to sell a minority stake in the club.
“If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer,” Ratcliffe’s spokesperson told The Times.
“If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.”
United, 20-time English champions, are bottom of the Premier League after losing both their opening games of the season under new manager Erik ten Hag.
The woeful start has intensified criticism of the Glazers and their perceived lack of investment in the team.
This summer has seen new signings fail to materialise, including a fruitless pursuit of Barcelona’s Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while superstar striker Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Old Trafford.
The club has struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and has not won a trophy since 2017.
There have been multiple protests against the Glazers’ ownership in recent years, including one in May 2021 which caused the Red Devils’ home league match against Liverpool to be postponed.
United fans are planning another protest against the American family during their latest meeting with their Anfield rivals on Monday at Old Trafford.(BBC Sport)