:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/GEWZLCGEH6XZ4Y3FNUC4I2ZSJI.jpg "Ratcliffe visits United after submitting takeover bid 1")
MANCHESTER (AP) — Jim Ratcliffe visited Manchester United on Friday as part of his bid to acquire the English club.
The billionaire owner of the INEOS company traveled to meet club officials at Old Trafford, along with some of his closest advisers.
On Friday, untied chief executive Richard Arnold welcomed Ratcliffe, who briefly met manager Erik ten Hag at the Carrington training facility.
“I met them and shook their hands,” Ten Hag told a press conference ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham. “We have an important game on Sunday and we are focusing on it. Others at the club are dealing with potential investors.”
Ratcliffe posed for photos at Old Trafford before driving to Carrington.
He tries to take a look at the club before making his formal offer to the Glazer family, the current owners.
Ratcliffe is one of the richest Britons in the world and will present a proposal to acquire the majority of shares in the team which has 20 national titles. Their meetings come as the potential sale enters the next phase, after bidders submitted their bids to investment bank Raine last month.
Ratcliffe’s delegation included INEOS Sporting Director Dave Brailsford.
Representatives of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani met with United executives on Thursday. The Qatar Islamic Bank chairman and son of the former Qatari prime minister also wants control of the team and plans to invest in a stadium and sports center coaching.
Ratcliffe said he would use a “fan-centric approach” as owner and was “focused on winning the Champions League”.
There is no certainty that the Glazer family will relinquish control of United as they are also considering ‘strategic alternatives’.
The American family, owners of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, acquired United in 2005 and have resisted continued attempts by fans to oust them.
Last year, Raine was in charge of selling Chelsea to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for $3,000 million.
The sale to United is expected to bring in $6 billion.