Since news broke out that the Glazers had accepted Ratcliffe’s bid for minority investment, there has been a lot of speculation regarding when an official announcement would be made.

There was an expectation that confirmation of the deal would be done during the November international break but it did not happen.

A recent report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that it’s likely Ratcliffe would come in before Christmas.

Sky Sports have now corroborated this information and indicated that an announcement could be made public as soon as next week if no further delays occur.

It’s thought that Ratcliffe’s proposal will see the INEOS billionaire take charge of United’s sporting operations. This comes amidst the team’s struggles in Europe, with the Red Devils currently on the brink of elimination from the Champions League.

The 20-time English champions are not faring any better in the Premier League and pressure is mounting on Erik ten Hag after another dismal performance saw his side suffer a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle on Saturday.

Sky Sports’ Mark Kleinman explains, “Manchester United Football Club and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the petrochemicals billionaire, aim to announce within days a £1.25bn deal that will see him take a 25% stake in the Red Devils.”

“Sky News understands that the two sides have pencilled in early next week to confirm the long-awaited transaction, which will involve Sir Jim’s Ineos Sports taking two boardroom seats at Old Trafford.”

“Sources said the timetable could yet slip again, but that an announcement early next week was now expected by both United and Ineos.”

Kleinman adds that neither Ratcliffe nor his close confidant Sir Dave Brailsford will join United’s public company board.

As part of the arrangement, the Glazers will also sell Ratcliffe 25% of their B-shares, which of course carry greater voting rights.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25% stake in Manchester United is set to be announced before the end of 2023.

The 71-year-old hopes to have control of the sporting structure at the club before Christmas, with the view of transforming United’s outdated way of operating.

Major changes are expected among the staff that currently make the decisions at Old Trafford with Richard Arnold and John Murtough already set to leave the club.

As reported by The Mirror, Ratcliffe’s arrival could also hand an unlikely olive branch to exiled star Jadon Sancho.

The forward hasn’t featured since the opening weeks of the season after his public spat with manager Erik ten Hag.

Sir Dave Brailsford, the chief lieutenant to Ratcliffe, is hoping to start work in the coming weeks and believes his psychology-based approach could help Sancho revive his career at United.

It looked almost certain that the 23-year-old was heading for the exit door with Juventus eyeing a cut-price deal for the player.

However, as part of Brailsford’s changes, therapist Steve Peters at Team Sky is expected to make up part of the backroom staff and would be hoping to work with Sancho.

Having parted with £72 million to bring the forward to Old Trafford in 2021, Ratcliffe’s preference is to rebuild bridges rather than part with a valuable asset.

It’s unclear whether Ten Hag will be open to the idea having been publicly let down by a player he has given a lot of leeway to.

On the pitch, United will be hoping to continue their strong domestic form as they travel to Newcastle United tonight in what looks like a crunch clash in the race for the top four.

Five wins in their last six league games has left United just four points off the Champions League places, with Newcastle just behind Ten Hag’s troops.

A win tonight in a hostile atmosphere would be huge result for United as they continue their tricky set of festive fixtures.

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Freedman, currently the Sporting Director at Crystal Palace, has been strongly linked with the executive role at Old Trafford, following the news John Murtough would likely be departing the club once the new ownership structure is confirmed.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to become a minority owner of United having agreed a deal for a 25% stake of the club, subject to ratification.

It has been reported that the premium price Ratcliffe has agreed to pay for this deal was contingent on the INEOS owner assuming full sporting control at Old Trafford.

Though this has yet to be officially confirmed, it is widely reported that both a new Director of Football and a new Chief Executive will be installed within this new INEOS-led structure.

It has already been confirmed that CEO Richard Arnold will be vacating his current position, with Jean-Claude Blanc the strongly linked replacement. The Frenchman has enjoyed great success at the executive level at both Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, and appears tailor made to take on a senior role at a commercial behemoth like United.

The Director of Football position appears more uncertain, however.

Paul Mitchell had been the early front-runner with the INEOS Sporting Group thought to be long-term admirers of the executive. Mitchell has enjoyed successful roles at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, the Red Bull Sporting Group and, most recently, Monaco.

Michael Edwards was another name linked with the Old Trafford hotseat; the former executive at Anfield widely praised for his work in helping Jurgen Klopp rebuild Liverpool.

Both men were reported to be on a shortlist for the position at United. But another name has emerged in recent weeks – Dougie Freedman. 

Freedman’s work at Selhurst Park has been as quietly impressive as it has consistent, despite a much more limited budget than his competitors. The Scot is widely respected throughout English football, having previously worked as a manager.

Crystal Palace have always appeared to possess a cohort of talented youngsters or a group of experienced pros picked up on the cheap during Freedman’s time as the club’s executive. The club’s current iteration – Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze – represents one of their most impressive groups. And the four players cost less than what John Murtough sanctioned in United’s move for Antony last summer.

It was reported that Ratcliffe will seek “guidance” from Sir Alex Ferguson once his ownership bid (and the associated sporting control) is confirmed. As such, Ferguson’s long-standing admiration for Freedman may prove pivotal in where Ratcliffe sets his sights.

The Daily Mail report Freedman has been added to “shortlist” for the position at Old Trafford, having been “mentored for many years by fellow Glaswegian, Sir Alex.” This may be enough to give Freedman the inside track ahead of his competitors.

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Sir Jim is closing in on completing his 25% partial investment into United which will essentially make him a minority owner of the club.

The expectation is that the British businessman will be granted full control of United’s sporting operations, which he fully intends to overhaul.

Already, changes have started to take place. Richard Arnold recently stepped down as CEO of the Red Devils.

Former Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain chief Jean-Claude Blanc is being lined up to replace Arnold.

With John Murtough’s future also far from secure, the likes of Paul Mitchell, Paolo Maldini and Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman are all said to be under consideration for a sporting director role at Old Trafford.

It’s understood that Sir Jim’s close confidant, Sir Dave Brailsford is also poised to play a crucial role in the running of United.

According to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Sir Jim’s appointees will not be constricted by the Glazers’ and their slow decision-making process.

Over the years, the American family has been accused of slowing things down, with all key decisions at the club requiring their approval before being put into motion.

At times, this has proved to be a challenge due to the different time zones. The Glazers of course reside in Florida, US.

Delaney reveals, “The Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are still discussing the legal points of what the ownership structure of Manchester United would look like after INEOS’ takeover of a 25 percent stake, having agreed on the broad principles of the purchase.”

“The prospective deal has been described by those involved as one of the most complicated in the long recent list of football takeovers, due to the distinctive condition of the minority owner taking full control of the sporting side of the club.”

“Ratcliffe’s eventual football staff would not have to run major decisions past the Glazers, as has been the case for the last decade.”

As per Delaney, the main issue holding up the official announcement of the deal is separation, since Sir Jim has been insistent on the inclusion of legal clauses that provide a path to eventual full ownership of United through equity.

There have been “tentative private conversations” about United’s new-look football structure, but firm decisions will ultimately be made after Sir Jim and his people have had ample time to properly assess the club and how it functions.

The Independent adds that amidst all this, former Liverpool transfer guru Michael Edwards is admired by INEOS and is very much in the fray to possibly become United’s next sporting director.

However, it remains unclear whether the 44-year-old would be interested in making a sensational return to football after departing Anfield.

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The expectation was that Sir Jim was closing in on an investment into the club that would essentially make him a minority owner of United.

A previous report covered by The Peoples Person revealed that an official announcement would likely be made during the ongoing November international break.

However, nothing has materialized so far and the Red Devils are set to make their return to action on November 26 when they travel to Goodison Park to face Sean Dyche’s Everton.

It was recently relayed that there were no guarantees Sir Jim’s investment would be wrapped up before the Thanksgiving holidays which start in the US on Thursday.

While many would have undoubtedly thought that this translated into just a delay of around a few days, The Mirror journalist David McDonnell has suggested otherwise and indicated that fans may have to wait significantly longer.

As per McDonnell, it’s likely that an official announcement of Sir Jim’s arrangement with the Glazers could be made public in 2024.

He told Stretford Paddock, “Our understanding was that it would be done during the international break. A couple of weeks ago, that was the intel that everybody was getting – that it would be done in the next fortnight.”

“Now it looks like it’s going to be pushed back until the new year, but I think you’ve seen with the departure of Richard Arnold that Sie Jim Ratcliffe has not been slow in asserting his authority and flexing his muscles if you like. I don’t think there’s any doubt that it’ll go through, it’s a question of the process, ratification and the paperwork and the official elements of the deal.”

McDonnell added, “I don’t think anyone, however much they think they’re in the know, can put a timeline on it and say definitively for sure when things are going to happen. All we can say is the latest information is that it was going to happen this week and now it looks like it’ll probably be pushed until the new year.”

He further stated that while United supporters will undoubtedly be disappointed with the outcome of the process and how it has panned out, it’s a slight positive that the Glazers are relinquishing some control.

Sir Jim’s proposal will of course see the INEOS billionaire be granted control of the club’s sporting operations.

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The deterioration of Old Trafford over the last decade or two has been one of many contributing factors to the Manchester United fans’ protest over the Glazer family’s ownership of the club.

The famous old ground has been slowly decaying and whilst other clubs are investing in state-of-the-art facilities, the Theatre of Dreams is falling apart, quite literally.

As reported by The Mirror, two fans were struck by falling debris from the stadium during the women’s Manchester Derby on Sunday.

Photos emerged on social media of two bits of concrete that had allegedly hit the pair of supporters after falling from the walls in the concourse.

The rotting walls aren’t the only thing in need of refurbishment in the ground with the leaky roof a regular fixture for match goers to contend with.

However, the latest issue is now set to raise safety concerns and may be enough to finally push the Glazer family into some long overdue investment.

The deterioration of the ground was highlighted by its omission from hosting fixtures in Euro 2028 with City’s Etihad Stadium chosen as the Manchester-based venue for the tournament.

Having showcased the Champions League final in 2003, the decision to overlook Old Trafford for the Euros is a sad indictment how far the club has fallen in recent times.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to secure his 25% stake in the club in the coming weeks and should he take control of the sporting structure as promised, he will be working closely with the Glazers to reinstate Old Trafford to its former glory.

The INEOS consortium led by Ratcliffe have a huge in-tray on their arrival but sorting the issues in and around the stadium will be high on the to-do list.

United have to wait until 6th December for their next home game with tricky trips to Everton, Galatasaray and Newcastle to navigate before Chelsea’s visit.

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After more than a year, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is close to acquiring a minority stake of 25 percent and will reportedly handle sporting affairs at the club.

The Premier League ratification process might take up to two months during which the INEOS chairman won’t be able to pump in funds for manager Erik ten Hag to use.

Ratcliffe planning many changes

But once he does come in, a lot of changes behind the scenes are expected as the British billionaire tries to complete a hard reset of the club which has been stuck in limbo for quite some time.

One of the most disappointing aspects in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson period has been their dismal transfer activity with United hardly ever buying smartly and rarely earning a profit on their sales.

Club CEO Richard Arnold is set to step down with an interim CEO to be in place and The Manchester Evening News have revealed that Football director John Murtough is also “definitely going”.

“Manchester United are planning to replace John Murtough as football director as part of sweeping changes amid impending investment from the Ineos Group.

“A well-placed source says that Murtough is “definitely going” amid a preference for a new figurehead for the football department.”

Murtough, who became the club’s first-ever Football director, has overseen a rather dismal few transfer windows with United splurging the cash but not receiving bang for their buck.

Long-drawn-out negotiations which see United mostly overpay have been synonymous with Murtough’s handling of transfer affairs and Ratcliffe will no doubt want to change that.

Murtough in danger of losing job

Former Tottenham and Monaco director of football Paul Mitchell, Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman, Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta, Atalanta’s Lee Congerton, and even former AC Milan legend Paulo Maldini have been mentioned as potential candidates to replace Murtough.

INEOS sporting head Sir Dave Brailsford has been spotted visiting Carrington in a bid to understand how to improve the club’s structure and there have been reports indicating Ratcliffe has been holding virtual meetings with the Glazers in a bid to change the club hierarchy.

The Peoples Person recently reported that so unimpressed has the INEOS chairman been with United’s strategy and how far they have fallen below their rivals that even Darren Fletcher, who is currently the technical director, is also in danger of losing his job.

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The INEOS chairman and Sheikh Jassim Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani were among the bidders who wanted complete control of the club only for the deeply unpopular American family to hold out in the hopes of earning even more money.

With the view of ending the impasse, the British billionaire decided to change his offer and he instead decided to buy 25 percent of the club and is reportedly eyeing complete sporting control.

Ratcliffe’s entry and multiple changes in the background

A lot of changes behind the scenes is set to happen once the deal is ratified by the Premier League. Club CEO Richard Arnold has already decided to step down with a temporary CEO currently in place.

Football director John Murtough’s spot is also in danger after he oversaw a couple of disastrous transfer windows with the club overspending on almost all targets while not backing the manager with the players he wanted initially.

Ratcliffe’s overhaul of United’s structure could see former Juventus and PSG chief Jean-Claude Blanc join the club.

Former Tottenham and Monaco director of football Paul Mitchell, Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman, Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta, Atalanta’s Lee Congerton, and even former AC Milan legend Paulo Maldini have been mentioned as potential candidates to replace Murtough.

As per Givemesport, United’s technical director Darren Fletcher could also pay the price for being too close to Murtough. Fletcher’s role is currently that of overseeing United’s loan deals for the academy youngsters.

When Ratcliffe does come, he will eventually take a look into the loan network as well and might choose to do a factory reset in that department as well in a bid to start from scratch.

“After a decade of erratic transfer dealings, poor buys and few big hits, Director of Football John Murtough is being tipped to leave his post before next season.

“And until Ratcliffe’s plans become totally clear that could mean respected former United star Darren Fletcher may also be in the firing line, with some believing the 39-year-old may be being damaged by association with Murtough.

“Former Scottish international Fletcher, a five-time Premier League champion during his days at United, is currently the club’s Technical Director with responsibility for organising United’s loan programme for Academy stars.

Fletcher also in danger of losing job

“That facet of the business will be looked at but for now it’s low down on Ratcliffe’s list of priorities if, as is believed, he takes overall control of United’s football operations.

“But plenty of critics believe United’s recruitment department is so far behind those at other clubs, Ratcliffe may be advised to make wholesale changes – potentially leaving popular Fletcher at risk.”

Fans would want Ratcliffe to conduct a complete review of the club’s structure to try and figure out how to improve in all facets.

He should be ruthless when it comes to culling any employee not fit for purpose irrespective of his past associations with the club.

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The Peoples Person reported that the announcement of the INEOS chairman buying a 25% stake in the club could be announced as early as Friday.

While the deal might have been ratified by the club, the Premier League are yet to do so and that could take up to two months, which could potentially hamper United’s January transfer plans.

Ratcliffe believes in ETH

Manager Erik ten Hag needs all the help he can get after seeing his second season devastated by injuries and the poor form of his trusted lieutenants.

There have been numerous reports stating that the Dutchman could be shown the exit door if form does not improve dramatically once the British billionaire takes over.

United are staring at an embarrassing group stage exit from the Champions League while the club could miss out on qualifying for the elite European competition next season due to their poor domestic form which has seen them lose five games thus far.

However, as per I news, Ratcliffe seems to be a fan of the former Ajax coach and he believes in his methods and while certain responsibilities might be taken away from him, the manager will be given time to turn things around.

Ten Hag’s transfer activity has been largely hit-and-miss but sacking someone who ended the club’s trophy drought while simultaneously dragging the team back to the Champions League makes no sense, especially in the middle of the campaign.

Sacking the manager in the middle of a campaign signifies “an organisation failing, not just the manager”, as per one source close to Ratcliffe.

“I’ve only ever heard Jim say positive things about Ten Hag,” one source close to Ratcliffe confided to i. However, Ten Hag will not enjoy the same level of influence on recruitment matters once the INEOS chairman arrives.

United’s flawed transfer system to be looked at thoroughly

A lot of changes behind-the-scenes is expected with Richard Arnold already making way while football director John Murtough’s place is also on shaky ground.

Former Tottenham head of recruitment Paul Mitchell and Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman are among the candidates being looked at.

Ratcliffe is said to be displeased with United’s transfer policy in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era where millions have been spent only for meagre returns.

“The new football committee will conduct a full audit of the transfer system in place right now before making any sweeping changes – a process that will likely take until towards the end of the season, insiders said,” the report further added.

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https://x.com/SkySportsPL/status/1725493415821898055?s=20

The long-awaited investment is not the full takeover that United fans wanted, but Ratcliffe is expected to take full control of football matters and invest much-needed money into the club’s infrastructure.

There is also rumoured to be a path where he will be guaranteed the option to extend his investment to eventually achieve full control of the club.

According to Sky, Sir Jim is paying $33 a share for his stake, “representing a more than 75% premium to yesterday’s NYSE closing share price,” reporter Mark Kleinman explains.

Exclusive: Sir Jim Ratcliffe's swoop for a 25% stake in @ManUtd, which could be announced in the early part of next week, will be priced at $33-a-share (or thereabouts), representing a more than 75% premium to yesterday's NYSE closing share price. https://t.co/UdU8d10YR4

— Mark Kleinman (@MarkKleinmanSky) November 17, 2023

Sir Jim is expected to bring in his own people to occupy senior roles at United, with current CEO Richard Arnold’s departure already announced and others, such as director of football John Murtough, director of football operations David Harrison and technical director Darren Fletcher all likely to follow suit.

The likes of Sir Dave Brailsford, Jean-Claude Blanc (as CEO), Paul Mitchell (as sporting director) and Dougie Freedman (as operations director) have all been linked with the upcoming vacancies.

As reported here recently, Ratcliffe’s investment could mean that United will have funds injected into their transfer kitty in time for the January window, although this will also require careful negotiation around Financial Fair Play regulations.

It is also a race against time, with the Premier League expected to require 6-8 weeks to ratify the change to the club’s structure.

These are cautiously exciting times for United fans who have watched their club disintegrate both on and off the pitch under 18 years of Glazer ownership.

Ratcliffe does not have a magic wand and his own record at OGC Nice has hardly been a roaring success to date, but he is a local lad with a passion for the club and understanding of football, which immediately elevates him onto a different plane than the Americans.

He is also a self-made billionaire so his business acumen is proven, unlike the Glazers, who inherited their own fortune from their father, Malcolm.

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