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Old Trafford could soon witness significant changes with Sir Jim Ratcliffe at the helm.
Reports indicate that Ratcliffe is close to acquiring a 25% stake in Manchester United, with plans to oversee football operations as part of a £1.4 billion agreement.
In the wake of Manchester United’s disappointing performance this season under Erik ten Hag, highlighted by their recent 4-3 defeat to Copenhagen in the Champions League, Ratcliffe appears ready to implement his vision for the club’s future.
According to Alan Nixon of The Sun on Sunday, the 71-year-old INEOS chief is set to begin his new role from Monday.
Furthermore, Nixon has revealed that Sir Dave Brailsford, INEOS’s director of sports, will play a pivotal role in Ratcliffe’s strategy.
Brailsford, known for his successful tenure with Team GB’s cycling team and his significant contributions to the Team Sky/INEOS Grenadiers, which includes six Tour de France victories, is poised to assume a leading position in the club’s overhaul.
This change puts the future of current manager Erik ten Hag and football director John Murtough in an uncertain position, with Brailsford expected to have a substantial say in their futures.
Brailsford’s anticipated involvement in the club’s transformation has been a topic of speculation for some time.
His notable achievements include guiding Team GB to eighteen Olympic gold medals across the Athens, Beijing, and London games.
Under Ten Hag’s management, United have had a challenging season, currently sitting eighth in the Premier League with only six wins in eleven matches.
The news has been further confirmed by Simon Stone of the BBC, who has tweeted that we’re close to the United ownership situation being clarified.
We are getting close to the @ManUtd ownership situation being clarified.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) November 10, 2023
