Who is Sir Jim Ratcliffe? Meet Britain's richest man who is 'set to buy' Manchester United stake

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be set to purchase a 25% stake in Manchester United after Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani pulled out of the takeover race.

The Daily Mail reports that Sir Jim's deal for 25% of United could be ratified at a board meeting as early as next week with the purchase seen as the first part in a gradual takeover. His bid will most likely see Avram and Joel Glazer remain at the club for the time being.

The move comes following the announcement by the current owners to seek strategic alternatives last November. Since then, however, fans have been left frustrated by a lack of progress - although an ending now finally appears in sight.

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Ratcliffe previously made his intentions known that he wishes to buy United more than a year ago.

When The Times asked Ratcliffe, owner of Ineos, about the prospect of acquiring the club back in August 2022, a spokesperson said: "If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer.

"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."

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MEN Sport has taken a look at who Ratcliffe is and his background.

Who is Sir Jim Ratcliffe?

Ratcliffe was born in Failsworth and is a boyhood United fan. He is currently the owner of French Ligue 1 side Nice and owns the chemical company Ineos.

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