By Victor Kanayo
As the deadline given by the Glazers family draws nearer, the richest man in the United Kingdom, Ratcliffe, owner of Jim Ineos company, has now declared interest to buy Manchester United.
The United owners who have already fallen out of support had scheduled mid February 2023 as deadline for interested bidders to show up.
It was actually in November 2022 that the Glazer family, said they were willing to listen to offers for the Premier League club.
After failing with his Chelsea takeover when Roman Abramovich sold the Blues to American tycoon Todd Boehly and his consortium, Ratcliffe is back in the hunt for a Premier League giant.
“I can confirm that we have formally put ourselves into the process,” an Ineos spokesman told AFP.
United have yet to comment on the news of the 70-year-old’s interest in taking over from the United States-based Glazers.
The Glazers, who completed a leveraged takeover of the club in 2005, have proved deeply unpopular with supporters due to the team’s declining fortunes on the pitch in recent years.
Their purchase of United also saddled the club with huge debts and they have long been accused of taking more out financially than they have invested in terms of transfer funds.
The Glazers further angered United fans by backing the failed European Super League project in April 2021 which would have led to the club joining a breakaway competition.
United have not won the Premier League since 2013 and their last major trophy came six years ago.
After a dismal sixth-place finish in the English Premier League last season, United appear to have been rejuvenated by Coach Erik ten Hag.
The club at the moment occupy fourth position in the table after beating arch rivals Manchester City 2-1 last weekend.
