Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made no secret of his desire to buy Manchester United, the football club has has supported since childhood.
Ever since Chelsea was sold in the summer for £4.2bn the billionaire's name has been floating around as one of a select few who might be interested in taking over the Red Devils if they were ever put up for sale by the Glazer family.
Late on Tuesday night United's American owners issued a statement many fans had been waiting for since their debt-laden £750m takeover in 2005.
