Following the news that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS has entered the bidding race for Manchester United;

Conrad Wiacek, Head of Sport Analysis at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“As a boyhood Manchester United fan, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has stated his desire to own Manchester United on several occasions. With his chemical company, INEOS, recently appointing former Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain executive Jean Claude Blanc as the CEO of its sports business, it’s clear that the company’s intention is to build a division of sport assets with Manchester United undoubtedly the crown jewel, in addition to the likes of French club Nice and its stake in Mercedes F1.

“Despite a decade of poor performance on the pitch, Manchester United is still the highest grossing club in terms of sponsorship in the English Premier League. According to GlobalData’s ‘Business of the Premier League’ report, the club generated over $325 million in sponsorship revenue for the 2022/23 season, ahead of rivals Manchester City and almost double that of Liverpool. The club has the commercial platform in place and INEOS has the financial ability to clear the debt that has been hanging over the club since the Glazer takeover. This will give INEOS time to focus on the re-development of Old Trafford and provide investment in the playing staff, both of which are likely to reap additional commercial dividends.”