Man Utd takeover: Sir Jim Ratcliffe's January transfer plans revealed

Cameron Smith

Updated: 17 Oct 2023 03:53 CDT
3 min read

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is bidding to by Manchester United — © ProShots

Erik ten Hag is unlikely to be backed in the January transfer window even if Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposed purchase of a 25% share in Manchester United goes through.

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The 70-year-old has offered a reported £1.3 billion for a quarter of the club and the Red Devils board are expected to discuss his proposal this week.

The six Glazer siblings and six other board members at the club will decide whether to accept Ratcliffe’s offer in the coming days.

Ratcliffe, who is the Managing Director of Ineos and has a total net worth of $18.7bn according to Forbes, had been hoping to replace the Glazers as Man Utd’s owners but their asking price was seemingly too steep.

He is now on the verge of becoming a minority shareholder at Old Trafford. He has experience within sport as he is the owner of WorldTour cycling team Ineos, formerly known as Team Sky, and Ligue 1 club OGC Nice.

Last year, Nice finished ninth in the French top flight, while Ineos ended the 2023 cycling season in fourth place in the UCI World Rankings.

© ProShots/FootballTransfers - Erik ten Hag, Man Utd

Man Utd’s January spending

Ratcliffe’s potential arrival at Man Utd will not have a positive impact on their ability to spend in the transfer market, according to The Guardian.

While Ratcliffe’s proposal would see him take over the sporting side of the club, Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions mean it is hard for any investor to provide meaningful additional money for use in the transfer market.

As a result, The Guardian have reported that Man Utd will not have the luxury of a January spending spree even if Ratcliffe’s proposal is accepted by the Glazers.

Last January, Man Utd did not spend a single penny in the transfer market, with Wout Weghorst, Marcel Sabitzer and Jack Butland their only arrivals. They all moved to Old Trafford on loan, from Burnley, Bayern and Crystal Palace respectively.