19 October 2023 , 23:55
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans to form a 'football committee' at Manchester United with Joel Glazer and cycling guru Sir Dave Brailsford.
Ratcliffe is on the verge of buying a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils, costing £1.4billion. The INEOS chief wants to take control of United's football operations after a decade of struggles on the pitch, but the Glazers are determined to remain involved.
As such, Ratcliffe is proposing that co-chair Joel Glazer will discuss footballing matters with him and Brailsford. The latter was in charge of British Cycling - winning two BBC Sports Coach of the Year awards - and is now INEOS' director of sport.
It's unclear exactly when Ratcliffe's purchase will be completed, with fans worried it could drag on into 2024. His investment in United should give the Glazers the cash they need to renovate or rebuild Old Trafford and the club's Carrington training ground.
As reported by Sky Sports News, the Glazers will remain in charge of United's commercial activities. Ratcliffe will still be entitled to have a say in those matters due to his minority stake, but the British billionaire's primary focus will be on improving the team.
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United have gone a decade without a Premier League title and haven't won the Champions League since 2008. They have struggled for sustained success after Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013, winning two League Cups, the FA Cup and the Europa League since.
Dave Brailsford will be involved in Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plan (Michael Steele/Getty Images)What do you make of the Manchester United takeover saga? Let us know in the comments below!
The Glazers have been accused of adopting a scattergun approach to transfers since Ferguson's retirement. They have made several expensive signings - including Paul Pogba, Angel Di Maria and Romelu Lukaku - but that policy hasn't delivered as hoped.
The Glazers' managerial choices have also backfired. Ferguson's replacement David Moyes was sacked within a year of taking the job, while Louis van Gaal's two-season spell was underwhelming - winning the FA Cup but failing to challenge for the league title.
Jose Mourinho won three trophies during his first season in charge of United but only lasted two-and-a-half years. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer failed to lift silverware during his 168 games in the hot seat, and Ralf Rangnick won just 11 of his 31 games.
United fans will be keeping a close eye on how Nice get on this season. The French side, who are owned by INEOS, are currently second in Ligue 1, one point behind leaders Monaco and one point ahead of champions Paris Saint-Germain in third.