British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to buy Manchester United.
News of the 69-year-old man’s interest after a Bloomberg report that the Glazer family was willing to sell a minority stake in the club.
“If the club is sold, Jim is certainly a potential buyer,” said a spokesman for Ratcliffe Time.
“If something like this could happen, we’d like to talk with a view of long-term ownership.”
United, a 20-time English champion, are bottom of the Premier League after losing their opening two games of the season under new manager Erik ten Hag.
The bad start has increased criticism of the Glazers and their lack of investment in the team.
This summer has seen new signings fail to materialize, including Barcelona’s ineffective pursuit of Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while superstar striker Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Old Trafford.
The club has struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and has not won a title since 2017.
There have been numerous protests against Glazer ownership in recent years, including one in May 2021 that saw the Reds’ home game against Liverpool postponed.
United fans are planning another protest against the American family during their closest meeting with Anfield rivals on Monday at Old Trafford.
Lancashire-born Ratcliffe, the main shareholder of chemical group Ineos, was a childhood fan of the club. He also owns French team Nice, Swiss club Lausanne-Sport and cycling team Ineos Grenadiers, while Ineos has a partnership with the Mercedes F1 team.
“This is not about the money that was spent or not spent,” the spokesperson added. “Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, it looks like it’s time to reset.”
Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) cautiously welcomed interest from Ratcliffe but said the takeover would require fan support.
A MUST spokesman told BBC Sport: “While supporters have called for change, this of course has to be the right change.
“Any potential new owner must commit to the best culture, ethos and traditions of the club. They must be willing to invest in restoring United to its former glory, and That investment has to be real money to be spent on playgrounds and stadiums.
“Ultimately, any new ownership structure must embed backers, including some degree of fan equity, into their operating model.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, said he was joking after tweeting, he will buy United.
According to Forbes, Musk, 51, has a net worth of $270 billion (£223 billion), while Ratcliffe is worth an estimated $16.3 billion (£13.5 billion).
In May, Ratcliffe made an unsuccessful £4.25 billion offer bought Chelsea after owner Roman Abramovich offered to sell the London team.
At the time, Ratcliffe told BBC Sport he was still a Manchester United fan and the reason he didn’t bid for the Reds was because they weren’t for sale.
