Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion deal to become a part-owner in Man United includes a provision that will require the Glazers to offer their remaining shares to the British billionaire FIRST should they wish to sell their stake in the club

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3 billion deal to buy a 25 percent stake in Manchester United includes a provision that could oblige the Glazers to offer their remaining shares to the petrochemical magnate first, should they one day wish to relinquish their ownership of the club.

United confirmed on Christmas Eve that the petrochemicals magnate had been successful in his bid to acquire a minority stake in the football club.

A year-long process comes to an end after the Glazers initially instructed The Raine Group and Rothschild and Co to handle the sale of the football club in November 2022.

The Glazers will retain majority control of the club, despite Ratcliffe and his INEOS team running its football operations.

The British billionaire is himself a boyhood Man United fan and a fiercely competitive businessman. Some United fans have claimed that his arrival represents the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ amid the club’s poor form on the pitch and problems behind the scenes.

The Glazer family has relinquished 25 percent of United, but remains the majority shareholder

Ratcliffe will be the first to be offered to buy Glazer’s shares if they want to sell

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The INEOS group will oversee everything on the football pitch, including new transfers and the hiring of new staff.

Ratcliffe will also get two seats on the board and take an equal share of A and B shares in the football club, with United confirming that the billionaire will also invest a further £236.6 million ($300 million) in the football club.

It is expected to take around six weeks for the deal to be approved by the necessary parties, including the Premier League.

Making the announcement, Ratcliffe said: “As a local boy and lifelong supporter, I am very pleased that we have been able to reach a deal with the Manchester United board which will see us delegated management responsibility for the club’s football operations.

‘While the club’s commercial success has ensured that funds are always available to win trophies at the highest level, this potential has not been fully realized in recent times.

‘We will bring the global knowledge, expertise and talent of the wider INEOS Sport group to drive further improvements at the club, while also providing funds intended to enable future investment in Old Trafford.

“We are here for the long term and recognize that there are still many challenges and hard work ahead, which we will tackle with rigor, professionalism and passion.

“We are committed to working with everyone at the club – the board, staff, players and fans – to take the club forward.

“Our shared ambition is clear: we all want to see Manchester United back where we belong: at the top of English, European and world football.”

Man United fans have long protested against the Glazer’s unpopular ownership of the football club, with many campaigning against their American owners and their board of the club.

United fans have repeatedly voiced their opposition to the unpopular American owners

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United legend Gary Neville responded to the news by criticizing the timing of the announcement

Ratcliffe arrives amid a torrid campaign for United, who lost 2-0 at West Ham on Saturday

Making the announcement, Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer said on the club’s website: ‘We are delighted to have completed this deal with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.

‘As part of the strategic review we announced in November 2022, we committed to looking at a variety of alternatives to help Manchester United improve, with a focus on delivering success for our men’s, women’s and and Academy teams.

“Sir Jim and INEOS bring a wealth of commercial experience and a significant financial commitment to the Club. And through INEOS Sport, Manchester United will have access to seasoned, high-quality professionals, who have experience in creating and leading elite teams, both within and outside of sport.

“Manchester United have talented people across the club and it is our desire to always improve at every level to bring greater success to our great fans in the future.”