Sir Jim Ratcliffe says proposed 25% deal is his most exciting
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25% stake in Manchester United will cost him a reported £1.03bn ($1.3bn)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe says his proposed 25% purchase of Manchester United is the most exciting deal he has done.
Ratcliffe expects his deal to be ratified by the Premier League early next month.
However, he is at Old Trafford for United’s encounter with Tottenham on Sunday and spoke briefly in the press conference room before the game.
Asked if the deal was the most exciting he had done, Ratcliffe replied: “Correct. Yes.”
He said: “I have done a few exciting things, but this caps it all. There’s no question about that. I am very excited to be here.”
Ratcliffe said the regulatory process meant he was unable to go into detail about his plans for the club and that included speaking at length to manager Erik ten Hag on Sunday.
He added: “I have met Erik but it would be inappropriate until it is all formalised. We hope they don’t find anything dodgy in our CV.”
Ratcliffe said he first attended a game at Old Trafford when he was “about 10” and said his most recent visit to the stadium to see his childhood team play was “two or three years ago”.
Unlike the largely absent Glazer family, Ratcliffe said he would be at games “quite a lot”, having fulfilled a long-held ambition to own his boyhood club.
“A few years,” he said when asked how long he has harboured ownership ambitions.
“It’s taken a few turns along the road, but it all turned out well in the end.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe posed with fans for pictures before Manchester United’s fixture with Tottenham at Old Trafford
Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson shared a joke with Sir Jim Ratcliffe before kick-off at Old Trafford
A billboard welcoming Sir Jim Ratcliffe to Manchester has been put up near Old Trafford
PDC World Darts Championship finalist Luke Littler is also at Old Trafford for the match with Spurs