Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come under the spotlight following the club's underwhelming start to the campaign
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been the subject of fan criticism(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
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Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come under scrutiny despite the team producing a comeback victory over Roma in the Champions League. Michael Carrick’s side ended their nine-game winless run on Tuesday and will hope to build momentum against Aston Villa at the weekend.
The United manager has been under increasing pressure due to the club’s disappointing start to the season. Carrick looked set to endure another defeat after going 2-0 down against the Italian side before a Bruno Fernandes penalty and a brace from Matheus Cunha earned United three points.
However, fans at Old Trafford made their feelings clear by staging a protest against United's ownership during the match, with INEOS chief Ratcliffe and the Glazer family the targets of fan chants. Here is a round-up of the biggest stories surrounding the club.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s exit terms 'met'
The 74-year-old has faced fan criticism since purchasing an initial 25 per cent stake in United in December 2023. His INEOS group oversees footballing decisions at Old Trafford and Ratcliffe has previously stated that he would leave his role at United if he were as unpopular with supporters as his fellow co-owners, which was arguably the case against Roma on Tuesday, per the Manchester Evening News.
"I mean, I can put up with it for a while," Ratcliffe told The Times last year. "I don't mind being unpopular because I get that nobody likes seeing Manchester United down where they are, and nobody likes the decisions we're having to make at the moment.
"If I draw a bit of the ire, I can put up with that. But I'm no different to the average person. It's not nice, particularly for friends and family. So, eventually, if it reached the extent that the Glazer family have been abused, then I'd have to say, 'Look, enough's enough guys, let somebody else do this'.
"They can't really come to a match, the Glazers. They've retreated into the shadows a bit now, so I'm getting all the stick. We bought in and I haven't seen them since. It's, 'Thank you, Jim, you're doing a really good job'.
"At the moment, I don't have security, I don't have to walk around like that. But it would defeat the object, wouldn't it? You couldn't tolerate it at that level, it just wouldn't be fun."
David Beckham
A former Premier League star discussed David Beckham as a potential Manchester United owner(Image: Caean Couto/Getty Images)
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David Beckham takeover backed
Former Premier League star Djibril Cisse has suggested United legend David Beckham could be a successful replacement for Ratcliffe, should INEOS choose to sell their stake in the club. The 51-year-old boasts boardroom-level experience as a co-owner of MLS franchise Inter Miami.
"Could David Beckham replace the Glazers and INEOS at Manchester United? Why not?" ex-Liverpool star Cisse said to Mr Gamble. "He's doing a good job at Inter Miami.
"He has an aura, he has a name, he's David Beckham, and he carries real weight in world football. So yes, why not?"
If Beckham did launch a takeover at Old Trafford, Cisse called for his former Sunderland boss Roy Keane to be named United manager. He added: "It would be another club legend coming back. If it were him and Roy Keane, that would be amazing.
"Keane has the weight of experience and history. He is a strong personality and he's an icon of the club."
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