Sir Jim Ratcliffe confirms intention to buy Man Utd | OneFootball

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, considered one of Britain’s richest men, has confirmed his interest in buying Manchester United.

“We have formally put ourselves into the process,” a statement released by the billionaire confirmed on Tuesday.

Ratcliffe, 70, is the CEO of pharmaceutical company INEOS and has been linked with taking over Chelsea in the past.

The Times have confirmed that INEOS have formally entered the bidding process with all interested parties having to register their interest with the club before putting an official bid in.

Formal bids are expected to start next month according to the report, with new ownership likely to be in place by the end of the season.

The United owners, the Glazer family, confirmed in November that they were “commencing a process to explore strategic alternative” which included “new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the company.”

The Glazers have owned the 20-times Premier League champions since 2005.