Sir Jim Ratcliffe is Britain's richest man, according to Forbes

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to buy English football club, Manchester United, reports the BBC.

Sir Jim, 69, expressed interest after a Bloomberg report that the Glazer family are willing to sell a minority stake in the club.

“If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.”

20-time English champions, United, are bottom of the Premier League after losing both their opening games of the season under new manager Erik ten Hag.

The woeful start has intensified criticism of the Glazers and their perceived lack of investment in the team.

This summer has seen new signings fail to materialize, including a fruitless pursuit of Barcelona’s Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while superstar striker Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Old Trafford.

The club has struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and has not won a trophy since 2017.

Multiple protests erupted against the Glazers’ ownership in recent years, including one in May 2021 which caused the Red Devils’ home league match against Liverpool to be postponed.

United fans are reportedly planning another protest against the American family during their latest meeting with their Anfield rivals on Monday at Old Trafford.

Sir Jim, the majority shareholder of chemical group Ineos, is reportedly a boyhood fan of the club.

He also owns French side Nice, Swiss club Lausanne-Sport and Ineos Grenadiers cycling team, while Ineos has a partnership with the Mercedes F1 team.

“This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent,” the spokesperson added. “Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, it feels like the time is right for a reset.”

Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) cautiously welcomed the interest from Ratcliffe but said a takeover would need the support of fans.