Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the richest man in Britain, is confident that his bid to take over Manchester United will be successful. Ratcliffe is in competition with a bid from Qatar, led by Sheikh Jassim, to take charge of United from the Glazer family. While Sheikh Jassim’s bid is worth more than Ratcliffe’s offer, the Brit is only seeking to take the Glazers’ working majority of the club rather than purchasing full ownership.
Despite Sheikh Jassim’s lead, Ratcliffe is confident he will eventually succeed in taking over United. He has positioned himself as a bidder that could get supporters back on side after 17 years of Glazer ownership. Ratcliffe has vowed to put the ‘United’ back in ‘Manchester United’, and there is a clamour for a Mancunian to own the club again.
Ratcliffe’s preparation for taking charge is already well underway, with the billionaire in talks with Dave Brailsford to form a ‘world-leading’ team at Old Trafford. Brailsford’s ‘marginal gains’ mantra has proven successful in other sports such as cycling and sailing. United have fallen behind their competitors, both in terms of infrastructure and personnel. Brailsford has been charged with putting together the ‘best in class’ in all areas, in order to restore United to Ratcliffe’s vision of being the best in the world.
Ratcliffe is due to meet with United this week to get a better picture of the club’s finances, in a move that is designed to increase the offer for the club. The Glazers want north of £5bn for the club, but Ratcliffe and Jassim have both offered below £4.5bn.
In order to restore United to their former glory, Ratcliffe and Brailsford will need to make significant improvements across the board. The club has fallen behind their competitors in terms of infrastructure and personnel, and a new approach is needed if they are to compete at the highest level. Ratcliffe’s bid has been welcomed by supporters who are desperate for change after 17 years of Glazer ownership.
While Sheikh Jassim’s bid is currently in the lead, Ratcliffe’s confidence suggests that he is not giving up on his dream of taking over Manchester United. With Brailsford by his side, he is preparing to form a world-leading team at Old Trafford that will restore United to their former glory. It remains to be seen whether his bid will be successful, but his determination and commitment to the cause suggest that he will not give up easily.