Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a British billionaire, has declared his intention to purchase Manchester United from the Glazers.
In the midst of nearly constant protests against their ownership from disgruntled United supporters, reports surfaced on Wednesday that the Glazers were looking for new investment and were prepared to sell a minority stake in the Red Devils.
A representative for Ratcliffe has now confirmed to The Times that the lifelong United supporter, who earlier this summer tried unsuccessfully to purchase Chelsea, is ready to make an investment with the goal of fully owning the team.
“If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer,” a statement read.
The spokesperson added: “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.”
It’s unclear exactly what the Glazers are willing to give. There have been conflicting reports, with Bloomberg claiming that the American family is not looking to sell the club outright, which has a potential value of over £5 billion.
Ratcliffe, who currently owns Ligue 1 team Nice, made a £4.25 billion offer to purchase Chelsea in April, but it was rejected because it was made after the widely publicised deadline for prospective buyers.