Incoming Man Utd investor Ratcliffe plans two ‘huge’ deals amid fresh Sheikh Jassim update

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is looking to add another two clubs to his portfolio ‘within 12-24 months’ of investing in Manchester United, according to reports.

Ratcliffe is set to buy a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils from the Glazers with the deal expected to give him a significant say in footballing matters.

Sheikh Jassim was the first bidder to publicly withdraw from the takeover process in October with Ratcliffe revising his offer down to a miniority stake in the club.

There have been reports that this stake is the first step in Ratcliffe’s attempts to eventually take full control of the club but Man Utd supporters are frustrated that the Glazers will still remain.

And now Football Insider has revealed that the INEOS founder is ‘planning to add two more clubs to his network within 12-24 months of his Man United takeover’, which are described as ‘huge’.

With Ratcliffe ‘expected to run football operations’ at Man Utd – who have the fourth highest net spend in the Premier League in 2023 – when he completes his minority investment, he will then look to create a multi-club model like Manchester City.

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Ratcliffe already owns French club Nice and Swiss side Lausanne – who would become part of a future network of clubs at Old Trafford – with the billionaire hoping to get the Red Devils’ recruitment back to the top.

Football Insider add:

‘At present, Man United are unable to sign international Under-18 players due to Brexit-changing work permit rules – and that is hugely affecting their ability to source and develop elite young talent.

‘A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Red Devils chiefs currently feel that they are working with “one hand tied behind their back”.’

Sky Sports (via the Daily Mirror) have an update on Sheikh Jassim’s Man Utd takeover plans with claims the Qatari banker ‘bears no ill will towards Manchester United but has no interest in reactivating any attempt to take over the club’.

As part of his deal to invest in Man Utd, Ratcliffe is going to commit £245m to the Red Devils’ ageing infrastructure but Gary Neville isn’t too impressed.

Neville said on Sky Sports: “What we need to hear is the full proposal and how it is going to work.

“You don’t sit here as a Manchester United fan wholly impressed by the idea of £245m going in to improve the stadium because we know that Real Madrid and Barcelona are spending a billion to get their stadiums right with a full refit, and we know that other clubs have spent significantly more.

“So we know that is not actually going to touch the sides properly of a full refurb of Old Trafford, but what it is is a significant amount of money – and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a smart and successful businessman.

“He’s not going to put £245m into something and let it go down the drain, so I suspect it is probably the first instalment of some sort of plan that means that they will phase the refurbishment of the stadium over two or three different seasons.

“It sounds to me like they will do it in phases.”