Man United co-owners hit back with legal claim against Tottenham over deal linked to Harry Kane

A behind-the-scenes battle between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United minority owners Ineos has escalated after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s firm launched a countersuit against legal action Spurs had taken.

Earlier this year, Spurs took action against the global petrochemicals giant after they ended their agreement with the club as official automotive partner two years early. Spurs were seeking £11m in compensation from the deal that ended prematurely in December 2024.

Ineos Automotive, the side of the business that had the deal with Spurs, saw the matter brought before the London Commercial Court as Spurs sought to recover what they believe to be monies owed from the deal.

Ineos Automotive argued that the option to terminate their deal three years into a five-year agreement was within their right.

But now in a new twist to the case, Ratcliffe’s firm has submitted a £1m countersuit with the High Court in London over allegations that Spurs breached the terms of the exclusive deal that was in place by holding talks with German car manufacturer Audi in 2023, a deal that was led, as reported by The Telegraph who first reported Ineos’ plans, by former chief commercial officer Todd Kline, who is now at Chelsea.

The planned deal with Audi, it is claimed in legal submissions made with the High Court, related to the proposed sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, a deal that materialised in the summer of 2023.

Spurs had initially launched legal action back in June claiming Ineos failed to pay a £5m-plus annual instalment that was due on December 1. Ineos, it was claimed, had failed to pay an inflation-related figure of almost £500,000, with Spurs seeking more than £5m in damages in addition.

In a defence and counter-claim submitted