Now that the saga has spanned a whole year, its end is nearing. It’s been widely acknowledged that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire behind INEOS, has triumphed over Sheikh Jassim in the battle to become the overseer of the Red Devils. Ratcliffe’s contentment with a partial investment rather than a complete acquisition worked in his favor because the current owners of the brand, the Glazers, aren’t quite ready to relinquish control yet.
The 71-year-old is set to acquire a 25% ownership stake and, notably, full authority over the team’s sporting activities. CEO Richard Arnold has already stepped down due to this development, and it’s expected that other high-ranking officials, particularly sporting director John Murtough, will follow suit, making way for Ratcliffe’s appointees.
However, since the announcement of Ratcliffe’s win over Sheikh Jassim, there hasn’t been much progress, leading to concerns that the impending investment might arrive too late to impact the January transfer window. Fabrizio Romano stated that although the deal’s confirmation was recently delayed once again, it’s anticipated to be finalized next week.
Romano commented on his YouTube channel, saying, “Finally, we are almost there with all the formal steps of the Man Utd sale.” Despite being a 25% minority stake, it holds control over sporting matters, signifying a significant role in the upcoming weeks as a new addition to Man Utd.
“Solicitors and close associates of INEOS Group and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are optimistic that it will be signed and official by next week. Therefore, everything should be concluded, announced, and official before Christmas. That’s the hope and the expectation.
“We’ll have to see what unfolds in the coming days, but one thing is certain: we are approaching the conclusion. Several changes are expected at Man Utd, commencing with the appointment of a new CEO (Jean-Claude Blanc is close to securing the role) and a new director of football.”
