Sir Jim Ratcliffe has confirmed his interest in purchasing Manchester United, following news that the Glazer family are considering selling a minor stake in the club.
It was in 2005 that Malcolm Glazer took control of the football club, and United have been on a downward spiral ever since.
The great Sir Alex Ferguson was able to keep the ship steady for a number of years, but following his retirement in 2013, the Reds have been burdened by their owners.
Protests against the Glazers have been consistent across their reign, dating back to before they were even in charge of the Old Trafford club due to the approach they were taking to gain control.
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After news broke on Wednesday afternoon that the Glazers would be open to selling a minority stake in the club, The Times have revealed Sir Jim Ratcliffe's confirmed interest in buying the club.
The British billionaire is a known United supporter, however, he did attempt to buy Chelsea with a late bid in May, but that was unsuccessful.
A spokesman for the 69-year-old explained that he would be open to buying a stake in the club, with the view to take full control if welcomed by current ownership.
“If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer," they said.
“If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership,” was added in relation to a potential initial minority stake.
It was also explained that Ratcliffe is keen to help upgrade infrastructure including the Old Trafford stadium with new investment that he would bring to the table.
“This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent.
"Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, it feels like the time is right for a reset," the Spokesman explained.
It would be a dream move for Manchester United supporters, who feel a complete disconnect with the Glazer family.
They have rarely communicated with the fanbase since they took control of the club 17 years ago.
One of the only times that Joel Glazer has spoke to the supporters in recent years was following the attempted move to the European Super League.
Gary Neville has been vocal about the issues on Sky Sports in recent weeks, following United's poor start to the Premier League campaign under new manager Erik ten Hag.
“The time has come for the Glazer family to sell the football club. The time has come — it’s now," he said.
"Joel Glazer has got to get on a plane tomorrow, get over to Manchester and start to divert the issues away from the club and tell everyone what the hell his plan is with the football club. What is he doing?”
Topics: Erik Ten Hag, Manchester United, Premier League, Football
Cain Smith