Sir Jim Ratcliffe already scores big against the Glazers at Old Trafford

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already scored big against the Glazers at Old Trafford. The 71-year-old met with the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust to lay out his plans for the club and to answer questions on its future.

Ratcliffe seized the opportunity to distance himself from the Glazer family. The British billionaire has insisted that he does not want to make money out of his investment in the club. This development will definitely be a plus for the Red Devils fans.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe meeting with MUST

This came less than 24 hours after Ratcliffe attended United’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham at Old Trafford. The attendance was his first since his £1.3bn investment was announced on Christmas Eve.

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Though Ratcliffe’s deal still needs to be ratified by the Premier League, the 71-year-old has wasted little time in getting to grips with the challenges facing the club.

Ratcliffe’s deal will see him take a 25% stake in the club, which will increase to 29% over time thanks to an extra £235m investment in the club’s infrastructure.

Many fans had hoped he would take a majority ownership of the club after 18 years of Glazer reign.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe with United’s legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford on Sunday

The Americans bought the club for £780m in 2005, using just £270m of their own money and instantly putting the club into debt of around £500m.

That debt, which now stands at around £1bn, has crippled the club while the Glazers have taken at around £1.1bn during that time.

Meeting with supporters was already an improvement, but Ratcliffe has taken steps to distance himself from the Glazers by insisting he isn’t looking to make money from the club and views it as a ‘community asset’.

‘His main message was that everything at United needs to be ruthlessly focused on creating winning teams on the field,’ a statement from M.U.S.T read.

‘He views our club as a community asset and stressed that his purpose in taking a share in United is not to make money.’

Joining the meeting with Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc, Ratcliffe stressed there was only so much he could say as the deal was yet to be ratified.

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Nevertheless, Ratcliffe reiterrated that he is rich enough with his other career ventures and just wants to see United successful on the field.

‘There was a laser-like focus on winning on the field,’ said one representative.

‘He started the meeting by saying: “So let’s be clear what I’m here for: I’m not here to make money. I make plenty of it from my day job. It’s not what this is about”.

‘There’s never been an owner of Manchester United in our history who has put money into the club.

‘It feels like it’s his baby. A legacy project. He’s done more fan engagement in one day than the Glazers have managed in 18 years. They get the magnitude of what they are working towards. It’s what the club needs.

‘We probed him on Old Trafford but the feeling was that they don’t know yet.’