Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s deal to purchase 25 per cent of the Premier League club for £1.3bn is close to completion, heralding a new era at Old Trafford, albeit with the Glazer family still in majority control.
Ratcliffe’s involvement will see him and his INEOS group – including Sir Dave Brailsford – take control of United’s football operations, which will include recruitment of players and coaching staff.
In 2019, when INEOS completed the deal to acquire Nice, Sir Jim Ratcliffe highlighted the importance of operational structure. “Clubs need to be successful off the pitch, as well as on it,” he said, placing what happens on a matchday secondary to how well an institution is run.
Ratcliffe believes having a clear idea, the right people with the right tools to consistently deliver it, a thirst for marginal gains and progressive thinking plus streamlined decision-making will ultimately result in winning.
When Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford – INEOS’ director of sport and the man responsible for British cycling’s success at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics – sat through presentations of United’s working practices and long-term plans during the bidding process, they knew football operations would need to be overhauled.
