Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to attend first Man Utd game since 25% investment
- Man Utd announced deal with Sir Jim Ratcliffe on Christmas Eve
- British billionaire has acquired 25% of the club & will head sporting operations
- He will attend his first Old Trafford game since buy-in confirmed this weekend
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to watch Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time since his 25% investment was announced when the Red Devils face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Long-awaited confirmation of the British billionaire’s buy-in came on Christmas Eve, with Ratcliffe and his advisers also set to take control of football operations as part of the deal.
Premier League approval for the deal is still required, which could be granted by early March or sooner. But while he awaits that, Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, will be in attendance at the weekend when Spurs are the Premier League visitors to Old Trafford.
Ratcliffe has already visited United's training facilities at Carrington since the turn of the calendar year, meeting men's boss Erik ten Hag and women’s team manager Marc Skinner, as well as players from both sides. The remit will cover the running of men's, women's and academy football.
The Glazer family announced in November 2022 an intention to consider "strategic alternatives" for United, the club they have owned since 2005. That had the potential to take on an array of different forms, including full and partial takeovers.
For months, Ratcliffe was locked in a battle with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim to become the new custodian. But the Glazers valued United higher than the full takeover offers on the table, leading Sheikh Jassim to withdraw altogether and Ratcliffe to strike a different deal that would leave the current owners with majority control – it remains his intention to eventually acquire full ownership.
He will lean on the expertise of close aides with the intention of restoring Manchester United to former glories. That includes Sir Dave Brailsford, revered for his work with British Cycling and later Team Sky (now known as INEOS Grenadiers), and director of sport for Ratcliffe's INEOS since 2021.
Brailsford watched on from the stands at the DW Stadium as United beat Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup third round on Monday night.
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