Stunning Man Utd takeover twist as second billionaire joins Ratcliffe in purchasing stake
Potential new Man Utd owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is not the only billionaire who looks set to purchase a stake in Manchester United, as American Leon Cooperman is reportedly on the verge of buying one million shares in the club.
There has been plenty of speculation about Man Utd’s potential next owners ever since the Glazer family announced they were considering selling the club in November 2022. It soon emerged that Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim and INEOS owner Ratcliffe would be two of the main bidders.
Both parties ended up travelling to Old Trafford to pitch their respective ideas on how to make the Red Devils more successful both on and off the pitch.
Sheikh Jassim then submitted a huge final offer worth £5billion. But when this was rejected by the Glazers, he walked away from the negotiations, leaving Ratcliffe in pole position to strike a deal.
71-year-old Ratcliffe, who claims to be a Man Utd fan, is ready to pay £1.3bn for a 25 per cent stake in the club. He was aiming to start work at Man Utd on Monday, though the process has once again been delayed.
There has now been a significant twist in the Man Utd takeover, with Bloomberg reporting that Cooperman is ready to ‘take a late stake’ from the Glazers.
On Tuesday evening, Cooperman signalled his desire to buy one million shares, worth $16.8m (£13.5m) currently.
It is unclear whether the New York-born hedge fund manager will look to turn those initial shares into a full takeover in the future. Cooperman certainly has the ability to purchase a larger stake in Man Utd, as he is worth an estimated $2.8bn (£2.2bn), according to Forbes.
Takeover twist will please Ten Hag and club’s fans
News of Cooperman’s late stake saw Man Utd’s stock price rise approximately 2.2 per cent, with the Manchester Evening News stating it is now worth $18.34. That is the highest it has been since early November.
Man Utd fans will be hoping Ratcliffe’s takeover in particular speeds up, as it has been rumbling on now for some time.
Manager Erik ten Hag will also be pleased once Ratcliffe joins the Man Utd ownership team. He is in need of yet more improvements to his senior squad and will be hoping Ratcliffe’s funds can help him bring in some top players.
The INEOS chief, who already owns Nice through his company, has plans to offload attacking trio Antony, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial in January. Plus, his first two transfer targets at Man Utd have also emerged.
