"They are..." - Jim Ratcliffe has already said what he thinks about the Glazers amid Man Utd takeover update

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already revealed what he thinks about the Glazers and their ownership of Manchester United.

The British billionaire’s Ineos Group have taken a significant step towards taking control of United after it emerged its bid put a higher value on the club than Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim.

Indeed Sheikh Jassim wants to buy 100 percent of the club and has allegedly offered about £5billion, while Ratcliffe only wants a controlling stake, initially thought to be the Glazer family’s 69 percent.

However, in the past week, it has been claimed Ratcliffe may reduce that figure while maintaining a majority stake to allow co-chairman Joel and Avram Glazer to retain some link.

The Glazer family must now decide how they want to proceed amid major protests having taken place against their ownership at Old Trafford on Sunday.

About 1,000 United supporters, led by the fan group The 1958, gathered in Manchester city centre before marching to Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe on the Glazers

Though it is still unknown whether Ratcliffe would allow the Glazers to remain at Old Trafford, he has already admitted his respect for the controversial Americans.

Speaking last year, Ratcliffe said: “I've met Joel and Avram and they are the nicest people. I have to say, they are proper gentlemen.”

However, Ratcliffe hardly sounded effused about the Glazers running of United when speaking back in 2019 after his purchase of French club Nice.

In an interview with the Sunday Times: “[Ineos] never wants to be the dumb money in town, never. They [United] are in quite a big pickle as a business.

"They haven't got the manager selection right, haven't bought well. They have been the dumb money, which you see with players like Fred. United have spent an immense amount since Ferguson left and been poor, to put it mildly. Shockingly poor, to be honest.

"We have a different approach here to be moderately intelligent about it. Try to do it more grassroots, trying to locate young talent.

“Some clubs seem to have an ability to do that, Southampton, Lille. United have done it really poorly. They have lost the plot."

Topics: Football, Manchester United, Transfers, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.