23 February 2024 , 14:54
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Mark Lawrenson believes the Glazer family completed one of the 'best deals ever' when buying out Manchester United and that allowing Sir Jim Ratcliffe to invest in the club proves it.
The United owners, who leveraged the club when completing their Old Trafford takeover in 2005 and saddled it with a debt of £525million, sold a 27.7 per cent stake in the Premier League side to Ratcliffe after putting the Red Devils up for sale. The INEOS founder saw his purchase approved this week in a move that as energised the 13-times Premier League champions.
Ratcliffe holds ambitions to return his boyhood team back to the top and has already discussed the potential of a new stadium. The co-owner has looked to replenish expertise at the top of the club too with Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth set to join as CEO and sporting director respectively.
The billionaire businessman has foot up £1.25bn to join the Glazers in owning United, a figure that outweighs the £790m required in the 2005 buyout. Lawrenson has commended the Glazers on the deal but highlighted they have sanctioned spending on transfers over the years too.
The former Liverpool star told Paddy Power : “Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying 27 per cent of Manchester United just underlines the fact that the Glazers have done one of the best football deals ever. They looked at Manchester United and thought, ‘we’ll get this club and get all the money to pay for it and skimp off everything they can get.’ It’s one of the best football deals.
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“They live in America, occasionally come over and watch a game and they’re not asked. They’re making fortunes and to be fair, they’ve spent a lot of money! They’ve not spent it wisely, but they have spent it. And that’s not the Glazers, they just sign the cheque but it’s not their fault because they know very little about it.
“I really do laugh when I hear Manchester United supporters going on about it. It was the deal of the century.”
Jim Ratcliffe has made several trips north to Manchester from INEOS' London HQ (Manchester United via Getty Images)Ratcliffe is expecting to work well with his co-owners. The INEOS chief highlighted the fact they were willing to sell to him and believes the relationship will be key moving forwards.
"I only know Joel and Avram and they are, despite what you might read in the press, very nice people, very courteous and they are avid supporters of Manchester United believe it or not," Ratcliffe said in an interview with BBC Sport.
"I understand the frustrations and the anger [of supporters] but I am looking forward not backward. What I'd like to say to the fans is give us a little bit of time, try to be patient and we'll try to build Manchester United back to where it should be, which is as one of the very elite clubs in the world.
"The key to it working is the relationship we will have with Joel and Avram, which in my view is a very good and trusting relationship. I can't give people assurances or guarantees about the future, but my personal view is that there is a good level of trust and it will work.
"I think in a way it might have been the easier solution for the Glazer family to sell outright to the Qataris. To be fair to the Glazers, they thought the best solution was to sell to me because they thought United would benefit more from that."
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