NICE GUY JIM Why richest Brit swerves Prem
HE’S Britain’s richest man but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has turned his back on the chance of buying one of the Premier League’s big clubs – for now at least.
Even with a fortune believed to be around £ 20billion, the 66- year- old self-confessed Manchester United fan has kept his cash safely in his pocket after discussions with a number of clubs, including his Old Trafford boyhood favourites, Chelsea and Newcastle.
Instead he has opted to invest £90million in French side Nice, while still maintaining an interest in Swiss outfit Lausanne.
Good news for Nice boss Patrick Vieira (right, top). Bad news for Manchester United fans desperate to get rid of the Glazers, and the Toon army who are in revolt over Mike Ashley.
As for his Chelsea interest, the initial negotiations with Roman Abramovich ended dd without ih any bid bid, after f R Ratcliffe liff heard the £2.5billion asking price.
Impact
But those close to the man, who started life in a council house in Greater Manchester, insist they haven’t ruled out Ratcliffe making a Premier League impact one day.
A business confidante said:
“Jim was genuinely interested in buying a leading Premier League club. At the same time he wants value for money and after considering the cost involved and the necessary investment he chose
Nice ahead of Premier League clubs he was in negotiations with.”
Ratcliffe has already proved in other areas of sport and business that he makes his money talk.
His petrochemical company Ineos, which he formed in 1998, took over the hugely succes successful cycling team originally known k as T Team Sky, starring Chris Froome (below, bottom), and is backing Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge’s attempt to break the two-hour barrier for the marathon. Ratcliffe also invested heavily in Britain’s America’s Cup challenge last year.
Last week he was in the business news, for giving the green light to build a new 4x4 vehicle in Bridgend.
Tortured
He was brought up as a Manchester United fan but after moving to London became a Chelsea season-ticket holder. Ratcliffe confessed earlier in the year: “I’m a tortured Manchester United fan. But let’s not go there!”
He won’t let his heart rule his head in terms of any club, as one source said: “He’s a successful businessman and won’t throw his money around just for the effect.”
But Ratcliffe is prepared to bankroll a realistic bid by Nice to challenge the likes of Paris Saint-germain and Lyon for the Ligue One title.
Ratcliffe said: “We looked at a number of clubs in the manner we looked at businesses in Ineos – for value and potential. Nice fulfilled that criteria.
“We are not prepared to be rash and stupid. It has to be a sound business model. Clubs need to be successful off the pitch as well as on it.
“With sensible, measured investment we want to establish Nice as a side that competes in European competition on a regular basis.”
Investment in the south of France ties in with his great love of cycling – next year’s Tour de France starts in Nice.
Sadly for any English clubs in the market for a slice of Ratcliffe’s billions it’s a case of ‘on your bike’.