As the multibillionaire Ineos founder awaits approval to buy a 25% share in the club, there is much still to be resolved
Provided Sir Jim Ratcliffe gets the expected approval from Manchester United’s board this week, for the premium cost of– £1.3bn prices the club at £5.2bn – he will take control of what makes Manchester United the club it is: the sporting department. That is headed by the football director, John Murtough, and his appointed manager, Erik ten Hag, so could their futures be in doubt? Another question is what authority Ratcliffe will actually wield.
Between them Joel, Darcie, Avram, Bryan, Kevin and Edward control 69% of United. The club has A and B shares, and those of the latter owned by the Glazers have 10 times the voting power of the former. It is unclear whether Ratcliffe has agreed to buy a part of all six siblings’ holdings or, say, two of them out completely. The breakdown of their share is as follows: Joel has 21,899,366 B shares and 1,707,614 A for total voting power 19.11%; Darcie has 20,899,365 B and 603,806 A for 18.
Joel, the de facto lead Glazer, is in contact daily with Richard Arnold, the CEO, Murtough and other members of the hierarchy.