British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe told by Glazers Manchester United not for sale

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said he had spoken to Manchester United owners about purchasing the Premier League giants but was told by the Glazers the club was not for sale.

In August a spokesman for Ratcliffe said the head of Ineos petrochemicals "would be interested in talking" to the Glazers "with a view to long-term ownership" of the 20-time English champions, though no official bid was launched.

The Glazers, who bought United in 2005 in a leveraged buyout that saddled the club with a mountains of debt, have long been accused of taking more out financially than they have invested in terms of transfer funds or in redeveloping the club's crumbling Old Trafford ground.

United's net debt had grown by nearly 23% to £515 million ($565.78 million) by September, while on the pitch the team has not won a trophy in more than five years.

"Manchester United is owned by the Glazer family, whom I have met," Ratcliffe told an event hosted by the Financial Times on Tuesday. "I've met Joel and Avram [Glazer] and they are the nicest people, I have to say, they are proper gentlemen.

"They don't want to sell it. It's owned by the six children of the father and they don't want to sell it."

Bloomberg reported in August that the US-based Glazer family would consider selling a minority stake in the Premier League club as pressure mounted on their ownership.

United's Premier League home game against Liverpool in May last year was postponed because of an organised protest by United fans against the owners.

Thousands of supporters marched to Old Trafford in protest before the same fixture this season, in August.

Fans take part in an organised protest march outside Old Trafford ahead of Manchester United match against Liverpool on August