The football club Manchester United is one of the most famous sports brands in the world.
On Christmas Eve, it was reported that the British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe buys a quarter of Manchester United. At the same time, Ratcliffe’s company Ineos Group takes over United’s football operations. Ratcliffe will invest $300 million in the club, which will be used to develop the club’s Old Trafford stadium and other infrastructure.
The news was significant, because a large part of Manchester United’s supporters have wanted to leave for a long time Glazer’s from the family that has owned the club since 2005.
In the era of the Glazers, the club is heavily in debt. In terms of sports, Manchester United has been standing still, even though the club has spent the most money in the world on player acquisitions in the last ten years. Players and coaches have changed, but Manchester United have not won the English Premier League for ten years.
However, the Glazers will remain in the company. The situation is peculiar in that the Glazers are still the majority owners of Manchester United, but Ratcliffe’s company will take over the football operations of the club.
What happens if these parties argue with each other over some important decision?
Who is Sir Jim Ratcliffe?
One of the richest men in Britain.
There is no exact information about Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s assets. Forbes estimates the British billionaire’s fortune at 12.5 billion pounds, while the Sunday Times believes Ratcliffe’s fortune is closer to six billion.
Ratcliffe is considered a very successful businessman. Ineos, which he owns, is a billion dollar company producing petrochemicals, special chemicals and petroleum products.
The 70-year-old British billionaire was born in Greater Manchester and says that he has supported Manchester United since childhood.
Ratcliffe’s Ineos company already owns the French football club OGC Nice and the Swiss club Lausanne.
UEFA rules prohibit ownership in multiple clubs playing in the same competition, but the rule does not apply to minority ownership.
Will Erik ten Hag get fired?
Manchester United has sought its sporting direction after the long-term successful manager Sir Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013.
In the past ten years, the club has had eight different managers, during which the team has won four trophies. Ferguson’s last ten years brought 11 trophies.
Now the head coach is a Dutchman Erik ten Hag, which has received a lot of criticism this season. Manchester United was eliminated from the Champions League in the first group, in the Premier League the ranking is eighth.
However, a sudden change in ten Hag’s position should not be in the offing. Big changes in the sports side of the club are currently on hold until Ineos officially takes over the football side.
The formalities related to the transaction take about 6–8 weeks, during which no major changes are expected. If ten Hag gets fired, they won’t happen until February.
Are we expecting big-name player acquisitions?
Failed player acquisitions have been considered one of the reasons for Manchester United’s low numbers. Although the team has spent more than a billion euros on players in the last ten years, there are still clear flaws in the team.
When injuries have messed up the patterns even more this season, the need for new player acquisitions is dire.
However, nothing dramatic is likely to happen when the January transfer window begins.
One of the reasons for this is the same as in ten Hag’s case – Ratcliffe’s deal will not officially go through until February, when the transfer window has already expired.
The second is the rules of financial fair play, which prevent football clubs from overspending.
Manchester United should be able to sell players in order to make significant new signings. Again, this is easier said than done, because the market values of the players of the underperforming team are decreasing.
A good example is the argument with head coach Erik ten Hag Jadon Sanchowho hasn’t played in many months.
Manchester United paid nearly 85 million euros for Sancho two years ago, but currently the problem player’s value is significantly lower.
Does anything change?
Ineos has promised to return Manchester United to the number one club in the world. In the company’s public statements, emphasis has been placed on the club’s handsome history, the return to the roots, and the importance of the fans. Ineos has promised to invest in the activities of the club’s women’s representative team as well.
It remains to be seen how these jewelry phrases will be seen in practice.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been successful in business, but when it comes to sports, he is no slouch.
In France, his goal was to make Nice the number one challenger to the big club PSG, but the best ranking in recent years is Fifth place. However, currently Nice is second in the French league.
Ratcliffe has also been involved in other sports. In cycling, he bought the successful team Team Sky, whose success after the deal has not been as good as before.
In any case, changes are coming at Manchester United. Managing director Richard Arnold will leave his position at the turn of the year, a permanent successor has not yet been chosen. Leading football operations of John Murtough there is currently no information about the future.
Manchester United supporters have long hoped that the club’s structures would be put in order. This means, for example, the club’s sports management, which seems to be bouncing from one direction to another without a common thread.
Perhaps Ratcliffe will bring a more long-term plan to the big club.
Sources: The Athletic, Sky Sports, BBC, Guardian.