Manchester United fans impressed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe during first meetings

Manchester United supporters were impressed with Sir Jim Ratcliffe during a series of introductory meetings on Monday.

Ratcliffe was described as "extremely candid and highly impressive" after he sat down with members of the fan groups he wrote to last month.

The Ineos Group is awaiting regulatory approval from the Premier League after it agreed a 25% stake in United worth £1.3billion.

Ineos sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford and the group's chief executive of sport, Jean-Claude Blanc, were also present with Ratcliffe as the petrochemicals group prepares to assume control of football operations at United. A source said Ineos "definitely said the right things" and "talked a great game".

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A source said: "We might finally have people in charge who know what they are doing."

Ratcliffe, 71, met members of the Fans' Advisory Board and the Manchester United Supporters Trust in person while he held a Zoom call with members of the fans' forum.

MUST wrote on their website Ratcliffe's "main message was that everything at United needs to be ruthlessly focused on creating winning teams on the field".

Blanc is not expected to assume the role of United chief executive and the provisional plan is for a new chief executive to report into the Frenchman. Patrick Stewart is the interim United chief executive after Richard Arnold resigned late last year.

The United chief operating officer Collette Roche has been touted as a possible permanent replacement for Arnold and she has been present for meetings with Ratcliffe.

Brailsford and Blanc will join the United football