DEAL DONE: Manchester United have reached an agreement for Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS, to acquire up to a 25% of the club.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made a significant move by acquiring 25 per cent of Manchester United and gaining control of football operations. This high-profile deal, finalized on Christmas Eve, marks the conclusion of lengthy negotiations spanning over a year regarding the potential takeover of the iconic Old Trafford club.

Ratcliffe’s acquisition of the interest stands at $33-a-share (£26), encompassing all aspects of the men’s and women’s football operations and academies for his INEOS group. Notably, Sir Dave Brailsford, the INEOS director of sport, and Jean-Claude Blanc, CEO of INEOS Sport and a former executive at Juventus and Paris St-Germain, are expected to secure seats on the Manchester United club board as part of this agreement.

Despite the challenging season that Manchester United has been experiencing on the pitch, this deal is still pending approval from the Premier League, with the process set to take six to eight weeks. It’s worth noting that while there is no formal agreement for Ratcliffe to purchase any of the Glazers’ shares in the future, he does hold the right of first refusal on any potential future sales.

In a significant commitment to the club, Ratcliffe plans to inject $300 million (£237 million) into Manchester United for investment in its infrastructure, which brings his immediate outlay to approximately $1.5 billion (£1.2 billion). Through Ratcliffe’s INEOS Sport, Manchester United is poised to gain access to seasoned high-performance professionals with extensive experience in leading elite teams, both from within and outside the realm of football.

As for the club’s home ground, the proposed overhaul to elevate it to a world-class football stadium is estimated to require a substantial investment, far exceeding £245 million. Notably, the billionaire entrepreneur has pledged personal financing for the redevelopment, ensuring that it will not contribute to Manchester United’s existing borrowings. This bold move by Sir Jim Ratcliffe has the potential to significantly reshape the future trajectory of Manchester United both on and off the pitch.