Sir Jim Ratcliffe confirms he wants to buy Manchester United

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a billionaire with the financial might to complete a takeover at Manchester United, wants to buy the club, a spokesperson for Ratcliffe has said.

“If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer,” the spokesperson told The Times. “If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.

"This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent. Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, it feels like the time is right for a reset."

Failsworth-born United fan Ratcliffe would initially be interested in buying a stake in United, with a view to eventually taking full control at Old Trafford.

United's share price rose on Thursday in response to a Bloomberg story that said the Glazers were open to selling a minority stake in the club.

Ratcliffe is the founder and chairman of Ineos, the fourth-largest chemical company in the world. In April 2020, Bloomberg Billionaires Index listed Ratcliffe as the second richest person in the UK and the 55th richest person in the world.

It remains to be seen whether the Glazers would be open to selling the club, but Ratcliffe is one of few people who could genuinely finance a takeover.

Fan discontent with the Glazers is at an all-time high, with further protests against their ownership planned ahead of Monday night's game against Liverpool in the Premier League.

Following United's European Super League climbdown last year one of the key conspirators in the doomed plan - United co-owner Joel Glazer - pledged to improve relations with supporters, but that has not come to fruition.

United have started the season with successive losses, at home to Brighton and