Ratcliffe’s influence at Man Utd to significantly widen after Glazers’ approval

The original agreement gave Ratcliffe control of football operations but those terms have now been extended to include the wider business

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team’s powerbase at Manchester United is set to significantly widen.
The Glazers have agreed that Ineos should have a broader influence encompassing key decisions across the business.
United’s American owners had originally agreed to hand Ratcliffe complete control of football operations as part of his £1.03 billion deal for a 28.9 per cent stake in the club, which is due to gain regulatory approval next month.
But United employees were informed at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday that the Glazers and Ineos have reflected on those original agreements and resolved that Ratcliffe and his team should also have input on wider business decisions given how they have the potential to impact on football operations.
It paves the way for greater alignment on key decisions and will give Ratcliffe and Ineos the opportunity to have significant influence on a range of matters as the club bid to adopt a “football first culture”.
The appointment of Manchester City’s former chief operating officer Omar Berrada as United’s chief executive has been viewed as the first sign of the power and influence Ratcliffe could wield.
Berrada’s impending arrival – he is due to take up the role in the summer – has been broadly welcomed by staff and held up as an example of the desire to recruit best in class and import a winning mentality at the same time as “getting one over” City.
However, it is understood that one pre-submitted question on the staff call – which was led by interim chief executive Patrick Stewart – raised the issue of Berrada’s time at City in relation to the Premier League charges facing the champions.
Berrada joined City in 2011 and his time at the club partly overlaps with the period to which the club’s alleged breaches relate.
There is also thought to have been a reference made to a scandal engulfing Barcelona over allegations the Catalan club made payments worth £6.4m to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former referee and vice-president of Spanish football’s refereeing committee, between 2001 and 2018.
Berrada worked for Barcelona in a number of roles, including head of sponsorship, for seven-and-a-half years until August 2011 when he joined City.
City and Barcelona deny any wrongdoing and there has been no suggestion of wrongdoing on Berrada’s part.
Stewart told staff on the call that United had carried out their due diligence and were confident in the integrity and quality of the person they had appointed.
There is said to be an acceptance that some departments and personnel at United are likely to be more sensitive to the issue of City’s charges than others.
The news came on a day when The 1958, a prominent United fans’ group, said they hoped Ratcliffe would prove “an ally” whose involvement in the club can help pave the way for the eventual removal of the Glazers.
“We believe the Ratcliffe investment and the SEC filing gives us more hope for a brighter future and a potential clearer pathway towards majority ownership further down the line,” said The 1958, who have organised numerous protests against the Glazers in recent seasons.
“This doesn’t mean we rest on our laurels. The aftermath of the European Super League is proof sitting back and doing nothing is not an option. We are working towards a next phase, strategy and plan.
“A generation of supporters have fought & battled to rid our club of these owners. We never wanted them at the start and we don’t want them now. We owe it to the legacy of these efforts to ensure they are removed. We hope Sir Jim is an ally & vehicle in making this happen.
“Do not forgive and do not forget the damage the Glazers have done to our club and fan base. We will be watching developments closely and will continue our fight until the Glazers have been removed. This has always been one of our primary objectives.”