Renowned Manchester United fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe has long been touted as one of the few people with the resources to end the Glazer family's unpopular premiership of the club - but Britain's wealthiest man has now shut down talk of an Old Trafford takeover.
Ratcliffe, who is the owner of chemicals company Ineos, did, however, hint that he could explore other opportunities in the Premier League at a Financial Times Live event on Tuesday evening.
After officially ruling out a bid for Manchester United, Ratcliffe mused: "So what will happen now? We have a sports franchise. We own a third of Mercedes' Formula 1 team. Robbed last year. The one thing we don't have… football is the most popular sport in the world. We should have a premier club. Nice has got a very interesting history. We'll have a look at what we might be able to do with Nice."
Ratcliffe certainly has his eye on the Premier League, but realistically, which clubs could he look to take over? Here Mirror Football considers four potential outfits.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves are currently on the hunt for a new manager following Bruno Lage's dismissal a fortnight ago, but the Black Country outfit could fit the bill for Ratcliffe if he is serious about getting involved in English football.
Although there have been no indications that the club's current owners, Fosun, are looking to sell, they may entertain the idea of a sale due to factors beyond their control in the Chinese economy.
Fosun have been rewarded with two 7th-placed finishes after ploughing considerable funds into the club, but it is evident that more would be needed to gatecrash the top six. And given that further funding would not automatically guarantee success, a viable proposal could give the current Molineux hierarchy food for thought.
West Ham
West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have already started sketching out their exit plan after bringing Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky on board.
Kretinsky acquired a 27 per cent stake in the club last November and is in pole position to buy out Gold and Sullivan's remaining shares in the future. But a potential bid from Ratcliffe could, potentially, change those plans.
A substantial offering from the Ineos chief would represent the chance for all involved to turn a profit - and Ratcliffe would inherit a London-based club with one of the largest stadiums in the Premier League.
Leeds United
Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani is believed to be open to selling his stake at the club and a number of potential parties have been linked.
The 49ers Enterprise bought into the club back in January 2021 and, according to The Athletic, the group owned by the NFL franchise hold an option that would enable them to complete a full £475m buyout of the club that runs until 2024.
Red Bull, who have built up a network of football clubs across Europe, have also been linked with the Elland Road outfit, but Ratcliffe could emerge as a competitor to any full takeover.
Everton
Everton are another Premier League club who have been linked with a takeover in recent months. Farhad Moshiri has ploughed over £600m into the side since purchasing a controlling stake at Goodison Park back in 2016 but it has been suggested in recent months that he is open to selling up.
The Toffees have reportedly attracted interest from an LA-based company co-owned by Jeffrey Soros, nephew of one of the world's richest men, George Soros.
But Ratcliffe has the scope to muscle in if Moshiri is serious about an exit - and with the club already in the midst of building a new stadium, Everton could emerge as an attractive option for the Ineos chief.
