Sir Jim Ratcliffe already knows his first Manchester United transfer task

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have a long to-do list on his desk when he finally arrives at Manchester United. The British billionaire looks set to invest in his boyhood club, and it is understood he will look to overhaul the sporting project as a priority.

The signs are certainly promising, but that doesn't mean it will be that way. There are obvious concerns over the fact that the Glazers will retain ultimate control of the club and questions about how much change can really be expected.

Ratcliffe will need strong assurances of total control in the years ahead if he is to push for the overhaul he wants; otherwise, it makes little sense for him to invest too much time and money into a business he only controls a quarter of.

TAKEOVER LATEST: What Ratcliffe made of United's plans during takeover talks

ALSO READ: Ratcliffe can give United what they never had under the Glazers

A full review of the current structure of the club is expected if the investment is made official and Ratcliffe has also put on record his thoughts about United's previous mistakes and the money they squandered in the transfer market.

"[Ineos] never wants to be the dumb money in town, never. They [United] are in quite a big pickle as a business," he told The Times in 2019. "United have spent an immense amount since Ferguson left and been poor, to put it mildly. Shockingly poor, to be honest."

Ratcliffe would go on to claim OGC Nice have taken a different approach under his guidance, one focused on 'grassroots' and 'locating young talent.' He cited Southampton, who have since been relegated from the Premier League, and Lille OSC, who won a Ligue 1 title afterwards, as two good examples of his transfer philosophy.

United's transfer policy will come under