Disgruntled Manchester United fans have learned why Sir Jim Ratcliffe has chosen to bid an eye-watering £4.25billion to buy Chelsea instead of their club, who Britain's richest man grew up supporting.
The Lancashire-born tycoon, who also owns French outfit Nice and is the chairman of chemical behemoths INEOS, has invested in multiple sports down the years, but notably never dabbled with acquiring the Red Devils. Instead, Ratcliffe has submitted an eye-watering offer to purchase Premier League rivals Chelsea.
His decision has infuriated members of the Old Trafford faithful, who continued to protest against their owners - the Glazer family - during their 1-1 draw with the Blues on Thursday. But Ratcliffe's comments on the state of United explain his hesitancy to get involved in their affairs. In late 2019, the 69-year-old was asked by the Times if he would be interested in buying the Red Devils, to which he replied: "Not at the moment, no. They are in quite a big pickle as a business.
