Sir Jim Ratcliffe has registered his interest in buying Manchester United. The 70-year-old, one of Britain’s richest men, has officially entered the bidding process to buy the club from the Glazers.
Ratcliffe, whose company Ineos owns French side OGC Nice, had initially expressed an interest in a long-term takeover of United last August after a failed bid to buy Chelsea last year.
The billionaire had initially appeared to throw cold water on a sell-up by the Glazers, telling a conference hosted by the Financial Times last year: "I've met Joel and Avram and they are the nicest people, I have to say, they are proper gentlemen.
READ MORE : Sir Jim Ratcliffe's interest in buying Manchester United
"They don't want to sell it. It's owned by the six children of the father and they don't want to sell it."
A spokesperson for his company said he was "focusing efforts" on OGC Nice amid the news that FSG was looking at potentially offloading Liverpool.
However, it appears he has now performed a U-turn regarding a possible purchase of United after it was confirmed on Tuesday that he has officially entered the running to buy the club.
“We have formally put ourselves into the process,” a spokesman for the petrochemicals billionaire told The Times.
Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, is the first prospective buyer to publicly confirm his interest in buying the club, and all parties will need to register their interest with the merchant bank running the sale for the Glazer family.
The move will allow any interested parties to undertake due diligence on the club, with any bids to then follow from next month onwards. Rival takeover bids are expected from the United States, the Middle East and Asia.
The Manchester Evening News exclusively revealed that former Goldman Sachs boss Lord Jim O'Neill would consider a potential bid if the Glazers lowered their demands.
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