10 January 2024 , 00:00
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to distinguish himself from the Glazer family by making it clear he won’t be an absentee owner of Manchester United.
Ratcliffe is still awaiting formal ratification for his £1.3billion deal, which will see him buy 25 per cent of United. But the new era has already started at the club, with Sir Dave Brailsford a visible presence in the stands during the past three matches, since the club officially announced the INEOS deal on Christmas Eve.
The INEOS founder and chairman is now set to join Brailsford in the stands for United’s next game, against Tottenham at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday. The Daily Mail reports that he intends to be a far more visible presence than the Glazers, who have very rarely attended matches since buying the club in 2005.
Ratcliffe grew up in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, and is a United supporter. As well as wanting to turn around the club’s fortunes, he also wants to present himself better than the deeply unpopular Glazers.
Avram Glazer has not been to a United game since the Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle at Wembley last February. His brother Joel, meanwhile, has not visited Old Trafford since the Champions League quarter-final defeat against Barcelona almost five years ago.
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INEOS director of sport Brailsford and chief executive Jean-Claude Blanc will be the 71-year-old’s right-hand men, but he will remain heavily involved in decision-making. He spent three days meeting United staff last week and held extensive talks with manager Erik ten Hag. Although ratification of the deal isn’t expected until the end of February, INEOS is already plotting major changes behind the scenes.
Sir David Brailsford has been at Manchester United's past three games (Alex Dodd/Getty Images)Ratcliffe believes United are drastically underachieving on and off the pitch and gave his mission statement in a statement last month. He said: "As a local boy and a lifelong supporter of the club, I am very pleased that we have been able to agree a deal with the Manchester United Board that delegates us management responsibility of the football operations of the club.
“Whilst the commercial success of the club has ensured there have always been available funds to win trophies at the highest level, this potential has not been fully unlocked in recent times.
"We will bring the global knowledge, expertise and talent from the wider INEOS Sport group to help drive further improvement at the club, while also providing funds intended to enable future investment into Old Trafford.
“We are here for the long term and recognise that a lot of challenges and hard work lie ahead, which we will approach with rigour, professionalism and passion. We are committed to working with everyone at the club – the board, staff, players and fans – to help drive the club forward.
"Our shared ambition is clear: we all want to see Manchester United back where we belong, at the very top of English, European and world football.”