Rich-lister’s goal to buy Manchester United

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is planning a bid for Manchester United after the Glazers formally put the club on the market, The Telegraph can reveal. Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men and a United fan, had been the first billionaire to declare interest in buying the club in the summer, when rumours of a potential sale first surfaced. The owner of Ineos, the petrochemicals giant, is now expected to table a fresh approach although he is wary about overpaying as insiders suggest the Glazers are looking for a price comfortably in excess of £5 billion (NZ$9.6 billion). Ratcliffe previously contacted the Glazers in August but concluded at the time that a deal appeared unlikely. He also has experience dealing with Raine Group, the brokers who had been handling the offers process for Chelsea and have been instructed by United.