Toto Wolff hails Sir Jim Ratcliffe as a ‘fantastic’ asset for Manchester United

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be a massive asset for Manchester United should the billionaire acquire a 25 per cent stake in the club.

Ratcliffe’s Ineos, who already invest in a host of different sports, joined the exhaustive bidding process to buy United nearly a year ago when the club were first put up for sale by the Glazer family. While neither Ratcliffe or rival bidder Sheikh Jassim were able to stump up the cash required to secure a full takeover after months of talks and offers, Ineos look set to secure a minority investment for a fee in the region of £1.3billion which would also grant them control over sporting matters.

Ineos already have a massive portfolio of sporting enterprises, from Ligue 1 side Nice to the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team, while they acquired a one-third equal ownership stake in F1 giants Mercedes that came into effect in January 2022. The chemicals company already sponsored the Silver Arrows before that and co-owner and CEO Wolff has worked extensively with Ratcliffe and Ineos over the past three years, with the German in no doubt that Britain’s richest man can transform United.

Wolff’s Praise for Ratcliffe

Asked for some insight on Ratcliffe’s suitability and expertise as a sports team owner – and potential co-owner of United – Wolff replied: ‘Jim and his partners, Andy [Currie] and John [Reece], they are first of all very complimentary and this is a no bulls*** organisation. They are huge in terms of revenue and profit and decisions are being made quickly, three bullet points on a page and “Here we go”.

‘With Jim, all the bulls*** is cut out. So I think wherever he gets his power and resource and character behind it, that’s going to be an addon for any team. He’s a Manchester boy, he has the resources that are needed and the heart is in the right place for this team and I’m sure he can be very creative for Manchester United. In his work with us he’s been a fantastic, fantastic shareholder, and a good sounding board and sparring partner for myself.’

United Board Meeting

United held a board meeting to discuss Ratcliffe’s offer on Thursday and while it could still take some time for the deal to be ratified, Ineos are already thought to be putting plans in place to restructure the club behind the scenes – including bringing in a new sporting director.

Manager Erik ten Hag, who is under a little pressure after an underwhelming start to the season, says he has not been involved in any of those discussions and is only focused on beating Sheffield United on Saturday evening.

Asked about potential changes to United’s sporting structure, the Dutch coach replied: ‘So, at this moment, I’m not involved, so I don’t know. What I know are the agreements I made once I signed this contract. And until I hear anything, I just keep focusing on my job and focusing in this structure and focusing on my job. And that is winning games and get the best out of the season.’

Conclusion

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s potential involvement with Manchester United could be a major turning point for the club. With his extensive experience in sports ownership and his resources, Ratcliffe could be the perfect partner for United as they look to return to their former glory. Toto Wolff’s praise of Ratcliffe speaks volumes about his character and capabilities, and it will be interesting to see what impact he has on the club if his investment is approved.