Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in Manchester United is pending, and it looks as if the Ineos founder could make big changes at Old Trafford, with two club officials at risk of losing their job.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe update at Man Utd
Ratcliffe appears to have won the race ahead of Sheikh Jassim when it comes to a Man Utd takeover saga, with the British businessman set to take a 25 per cent stake in the club in a deal worth £1.25bn. Recent reports have claimed that Ratcliffe will then personally invest £245m into the club, although those funds will go towards physical infrastructure rather than being invested in playing staff.
Key Man Utd takeover updates
Date
Glazers put club up for sale
November 2022
Ratcliffe and Jassim make bids
February 2023
Glazers split on a sale
February 2023
Ratcliffe and Jassim make second bids
March 2023
Ratcliffe and Jassim make third bids
April 2023
Ratcliffe and Jassim make fourth bids
May 2023
Jassim makes fifth bid
June 2023
Jassim withdraws from process
October 2023
Ratcliffe set to take 25 per cent stake
October 2023
When it comes to sporting decisions, it has been claimed that Ratcliffe has plans to sack Erik ten Hag and replace him with Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi. However, Ten Hag may not be the only person whose job is at risk following the pending arrival of Ratcliffe, with a significant update now emerging from Old Trafford.
According to chief writer for The Manchester Evening News, Samuel Luckhurst, Ratcliffe has held new extensive talks with Joel Glazer on a video call ahead of the deal to invest in the club. He said that “potential changes to United's structure, including possible personnel changes”, were discussed, with the futures of chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough thought to be at risk.
Richard Arnold and John Murtough
Arnold first joined Man Utd back in 2007 as a group commercial director and has gone on to climb the Old Trafford ladder since. He landed a seat on the Red Devils board, overseeing sponsorship contracts such as the one with Adidas and then took over from Ed Woodward as chief executive officer last year. (Richard Arnold Man Utd profile – The Sun)
Meanwhile, Murtough has also held various roles at Old Trafford, the first of which was academy manager back in 2013. He then went on to director of development before taking over as director of football in 2021. Recently, Paul Mitchell has been linked as the top Man Utd target to come in and take over from Murtough, with the latter and Arnold looking to convince Ratcliffe over their roles just last month.
However, it looks as if that may not succeed, and it appears as if Ratcliffe will pull no punches when it comes to making some bold off-field decisions, potentially making a real statement of intent by axing two long-term figures in Manchester.