Manchester United edge closer to Sir Jim Ratcliffe announcement but still face lengthy wait
Manchester United are close to confirming Sir Jim Ratcliffe's acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in the club, talkSPORT understands.
The £1.25billion deal will be subject to Premier League approval, which can take up to eight weeks.
Ratcliffe wants to overhaul United's football department with Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth his top target for a similar position at Old Trafford.
Despite the British billionaire's imminent arrival, sources suggest United are unlikely to spend big money in the upcoming January transfer window.
It comes after the club’s football director John Murtough warned fans that the upcoming transfer window is likely to be a quiet one.
United are in need of reinforcements as boss Erik ten Hag contends with a lengthy injury list with his side sitting seventh in the Premier League and an early exit from the Champions League.
Speaking at a fans forum last week, Murtough said via The Athletic: «Looking ahead to the January transfer window, we are not expecting it to be particularly busy.
“There will always be the possibility of deals around the edges of the squad, particularly in terms of finding opportunities for players who are not playing as much football as they would like.
“However, we’ve always been consistent in saying that we do not see January as the optimal time to do business and our recruitment strategy remains focused on summer windows.”
Ratcliffe had been locked in a battle with Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani for a full takeover of Manchester United after the Glazer family revealed they were open to selling the club in 2022.
Sheikh Jassim later pulled out of the race leaving Ratcliffe with a clear run at investing his money in the Old Trafford club.
INEOS and the Glazer’s have been
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