Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge (R) celebrates with Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe (L) after busting the mythical two-hour barrier for the marathon on October 12 2019 in Vienna

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is interested in buying a stake in Manchester United, with a view to taking full control if the Glazers are looking for new investment in the club.

The club's owners, the American Glazer family, are under pressure with United sitting bottom of the Premier League after two games of the season.

A source close to Ratcliffe said the billionaire was a potential buyer as he wants to help rebuild the team. The Times first reported Ratcliffe's interest on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Ineos chief executive said Ratcliffe would welcome the chance to talk with the unpopular American owners of the club.

"If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer," the spokesman told The Times.

This came in reaction to a story which claims the Glazers are considering selling a minority stake in the club.

Man United fan Ratcliffe, understood to be worth over PS21billion, would have the means to buy the club but is prepared for a more gradual takeover process.
"If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership," the spokesman added.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Watford at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

The report adds that fresh investment into the club could be used to help upgrade infrastructure including the Old Trafford stadium.

"This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent. 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," the spokesman added.

It remains to be seen if the Glazer family will welcome any new investors to have a say in how the club is run.

In May 2022, Chelsea Football Club was sold to a consortium led by an investment group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for US$3.2 billion (PS2.5 billion).

Ratcliffe failed with a late bid for Chelsea as he expressed his ambitions to control a major Premier League team.