Who Is Jim Ratcliffe? Net Worth, Business Interests, Man Utd Takeover And More | OneFootball

The Athletic report that there is confidence growing from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's team that their deal to take over Manchester United will be "successful".

Nevertheless, on Tuesday evening the team conducting the deal of rival bidder Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani said there had been a new and improved bid to fend off Ratcliffe and co.

It remains to be seen which route the club will go down and whether the Glazers will ultimately sell Manchester United.

However, for those Red Devils wondering just who Jim Ratcliffe is, we have got you covered as we take a closer look at the potential new owner of Manchester United.

Where is Sir Jim Radcliffe From?

The Billionaire is a boyhood Manchester United fan and was born in Failsworth, Greater Manchester on 18 October 1985.

What Is Sir Jim Radcliffe's Net Worth?

The Sunday Times Rich List rank Sir Jim as the 27th wealthiest person in the UK with a net worth of close to £6 billion. However, Forbes claim the billionaire's assets are £12.5 billion.

The chemical industry is primarily where Ratcliffe has made his money. His company INEOS and raw materials go into the majority of things we touch today.

Ratcliffe graduated from the University of Birmingham in 1974 with a degree in chemical engineering something that would steer the direction of his fortune and career in the years to come.

The 70-year-old spent time at oil firms BP and Esso learning the tricks of the trade before joining chemicals producer Courtaulds.

He then leapt into the world of private equity joining Advent International, something that proved to be a game changer for Ratcliffe and his wealth.

In 1992, Ratcliffe was ready to take on the world with everything he had learned at Advent International and this is the year he and fellow entrepreneur John Hollowood bought BP's chemicals division in Hythe for £40 million.

Sir Jim then formed the company that he is widely known for today, INEOS in 1998, which has since become one of the biggest players in the chemicals industry by investing in scrutinised areas like fracking.

In 2020, Ratcliffe reportedly moved from the UK to Monaco, a realm that notoriously doesn't collect personal income tax or capital gains tax.

Nevertheless, Manchester United fans must be asking themselves the question, what does Ratcliffe know about running sports teams?

What Does Sir Jim Radcliffe Know About Sports?

Ratcliffe has dipped his toes into the world of Formula 1, cycling and football already, highlighting that he has plenty of experience to take over the reins at Manchester United.

His INEOS firm have a partnership with the Mercedes team, which is fronted by Toto Wolff and legendary F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

INEOS and Ratcliffe also took over the SKY cycling team in 2019, which is now known as the Ineos Grenadiers team.

The 70-year-old also already owns two other football teams, Ligue 1 outfit Nice and Swiss club Lausanne-Sport, something which will slightly reassure anxious United fans of his credibility in running a sports club.

Is Sir Jim Radcliffe A Man Utd Fan?

Yes, The Telegraph revealed that Radcliffe is a lifelong Man Utd fan - and will not be afraid to butt heads with the Glazer family if required.

Has Sir Jim Radcliffe Tried To Buy A Premier League Club Before?

Surprisingly, yes.

In May the billionaire attempted to take over Chelsea from Roman Abramovich.

Sky Sports reported, at the time, that the English tycoon, however, was unsuccessful with his £4.25 billion offer and instead, the Russian chose to sell up to American business executive Todd Boehly.

Whether Ratcliffe can change the fortunes of Manchester United dramatically with a purchase remains to be seen and a lot of fans may even prefer to see the club led by a Qatari consortium.