Premier League
Man United set to enter a new Ratcliffe era with spotlight on January transfers and Ten Hag’s future
Fans of Manchester United know 2024 will be anything but boring as the club tries once again to end a period of on-field decline that has lasted 10 years for the record 20-time English league champions
British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe agreed Sunday — Christmas Eve — to buy a minority stake in United. The owner of petrochemicals giant INEOS, and a number of sports teams, will also take charge of United’s soccer operations.
The announcement of the deal, worth around $1.6 billion, came more than a year after American owners the Glazers put United up for sale in November 2022. The deal requires Premier League approval.
Here’s a look at the people involved and issues likely to be raised by the deal, including the future of United manager Erik ten Hag.
JIM RATCLIFFE
The 71-year-old Ratcliffe is one of the richest people in Britain and a boyhood United fan from Greater Manchester.
He already owns French club Nice and cycling team INEOS Grenadiers. He is a one-third shareholder of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team and competes in the America’s Cup with sailing team INEOS Britannia.
“We all want to see Manchester United back where we belong, at the very top of English, European and world football,” Ratcliffe said.
Fans will welcome such talk, but want it to be backed up with results.
Ratcliffe has paid $1.3 billion for “up to 25%” of the club and will invest a further $300 million for “future investment into Old Trafford,” United said.
Ratcliffe will provide $200 million upon completion of the deal and a further $100 million by the end of 2024. That additional investment will eventually take Ratcliffe’s stake up to 29%. The Glazers will have a 49% stake under the deal.
TEN HAG
The Dutch manager has endured a troubled season, with his team losing 13 games in all competitions and being eliminated from the Champions League at the earliest possible stage.
He has faced reports of locker room unrest and speculation about his job, but there has been no suggestion from United that his position is under threat and he said this month that he believes he has the backing of the club’s hierarchy.
Still, his relief was evident as United came back from 2-0 down against Aston Villa to win 3-2 in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Afterward, Ten Hag was positive about the arrival of Ratcliffe.
“They have a lot of experience in sport at the highest level — F1, a cycling team, football clubs,” he said. “They can only help us and support us to get our targets. We are looking forward. They want to work with us and we want to work with them.”
SOCCER OPERATIONS
Ratcliffe will take charge of United’s failing soccer department. How that will work in practice is one of the biggest questions.
After more than 20 years of success under former manager Alex Ferguson, United hasn’t won the title since he retired in 2013. Ten Hag is the fifth permanent manager United has had in repeated attempts to turn its fortunes around.
INEOS’s director of sport Dave Brailsford — who was at the Villa game — and CEO Jean-Claude Blanc will join the board of the soccer club. Brailsford was credited for his role in the success of British cycling in recent years. Blanc has held prominent positions at Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
INEOS CFO John Reece and chairman of INEOS Sport Rob Nevin will join the board of United’s PLC, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
JANUARY TRANSFERS
As the deal is expected to take up to 10 weeks to go through, Ratcliffe will not be in place in time for the January transfer window. He will, however, be consulted on any major soccer decisions such as transfers and the future of Ten Hag.
Members of Ratcliffe’s team have already visited United’s training ground and discussed operations. It is likely they will have already been consulted on plans for January and possible signings.
It is not yet known how football director John Murtough’s position will be affected by Ratcliffe’s investment, but the club’s recruitment operations will be part of the INEOS owner’s remit under the new structure.
DIVIDENDS
It has been agreed that no dividends will be taken for a period of three years, with investment in the team and infrastructure said to be the immediate priority.
Old Trafford is in need of modernization, while Ten Hag’s squad still looks well short of rivals like Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool after suffering early elimination from the Champions League.
FULL SALE
There is no obligation for the Glazers to sell any further shares to Ratcliffe. But Ratcliffe does have right of first refusal if any further shares are sold within a year of the deal being completed.
If the Glazers choose to sell the entire club to a third party after 18 months of the deal being completed, Ratcliffe would be forced to sell his shares subject to them being priced at a minimum of $33 per share.
-AP
England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace
Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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