Manchester United: Britain’s Richest Man Expected to Bid for the Club After Glazers Invite Offers

• One of Britain's richest men is preparing to bid for Manchester United, days after current club owners said they would invite offers from investors
• The USA-based Glazer family have owned the Red Devils for the last 17 years, but they have been faced with unrelenting protests from fans
• Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is worth approximately £13 billion, is now reportedly preparing to bid for his boyhood club and take ownership

Lifelong Manchester United fan and Britain's richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is readying his bid for the club as current owners, the Glazer Family, put it up for sale.

The Glazers, who bought the club in 2013, announced plans to sell the club on Tuesday, a move that was in the pipeline for some time now.

The Americans bought the club for $1.34 billion in 2005, but their ownership has endured relentless and unending resistance from fans.

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Last year, their European Super League proposal was met with angry reactions from United fans, who organised large-scale protests which eventually persuading them to abandon the idea.

Why are they selling now?

With Liverpool up for sale and Chelsea already under new American owners, the Glazers have probably felt potential investors could forget them, according to the Athletic.

Moreover, the main reason why they probably want to sell now is the failure of Project Big Picture in 2020 and the European Super League in 2021.

Project Big Picture would have seen the Premier League's biggest club take control of the top flight. However, the idea was comprehensively rejected by the Premier League.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's bid

According to an exclusive by the Telegraph, Ratcliffe will bid for United. He was the first billionaire to declare interest, after rumours emerged that the Americans were planning on selling the club.

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However, the 70-year-old is wary of the Glazers' intention of asking for more than he would want to pay. The Americans are reportedly asking for £5 billion from any interested buyer.

Ratcliffe has also invested in F1 team Mercedes through his petrochemical company Ineos. He also owns Ligue 1 club OGC Nice.

Ratcliffe is a lifelong United fan and attended the 1999 Champions League final, where the Red Devils made a historic comeback against Bayern Munich to seal an unprecedented treble.

Ratcliffe is worth £13 billion and if he succeeds with his bid, he will end the Glazer's controversial 17-year ownership. Under the Glazers, United won five Premier League titles, the 2008 Champions League, and the 2017 Europa League.

However, trophies have been hard to come by in the last few years.

The Glazers' statement

Sports Brief earlier reported on Manchester United releasing a statement about the Glazers inviting offers from potential investors at the club.

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The dramatic announcement of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the club was eclipsed just hours later, by the news that the US-based Glazer family, who have owned United for 17 years, could be on their way out as well.

"The board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the company," United said in a statement.