BREAKING: Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS confirm bid for Manchester United

Britain's richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe has confirmed that he's made a bid to buy Manchester United from the Glazer family, via his company INEOS.

Ratcliffe, a lifelong United supporter who was at the 1999 Champions League final, when the team captured their famous treble, has long been expected to bid for the club.

With Friday's deadline to make a bid to the Glazers having passed, the British billionaire has now confirmed that he did join in the bidding process.

"Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have submitted a bid for majority ownership of Manchester United Football Club," the statement on Saturday said.

"We would see our role as the long-term custodians of Manchester United on behalf of the fans and the wider community.

"We are ambitious and highly competitive and would want to invest in Manchester United to make them the number one club in the world once again.

"We also recognise that football governance in this country is at a crossroads. We would want to help lead this next chapter, deepening the culture of English football by making the club a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership.

"We want a Manchester United anchored in its proud history and roots in the North-West of England, putting the Manchester back into Manchester United and clearly focusing on winning the Champions League."

It is the second bid that has been confirmed, after it was revealed on Friday night that a bid had come in from Qatari investors to buy the club.

Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the chairman of one of Qatar banks, is the man behind the bid, which is expected to be for around £5 billion.

There are a number of issues to decide who will win the bid, with UEFA and the Premier League both having been urged to stop the bid from the Middle East.

That is due to the country's human rights record, an issue which was also heavily discussed during the World Cup, held there at the end of last year.

Qataris also currently own PSG and United's potential owners would have to persuade UEFA that they are separated enough, although Ratcliffe currently owns fellow Ligue 1 side Nice, and would likely have to sell up.

Ratcliffe owns Nice. Image: Alamy

The Glazer family bought United in 2005, despite success continuing under them in the first part of their stay at Old Trafford, the Americans have never been popular.

They loaned large sums of money in order to take control of the club and have never pumped their own money in, increasing debts and taking any profit out for themselves.

There has been many protests against them over the years, which have increased in recent years, and fans will be happy to finally see the back of them.