Sir Jim: I'm not here to make money
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has confirmed that he does not see his involvement in Manchester United as being driven by money.
The British billionaire’s acquisition of 27.7 per cent of the club was officially confirmed on Tuesday evening, following Premier League and Football Association approval.
Sir Jim, who was born in nearby Failsworth and made his fortune with petrochemicals company INEOS, remarked on the ‘great honour’ and ‘great responsibility’ of his new role in a statement released just after 21:00 GMT, adding this was just the start of a journey to take United back to the pinnacle of club football.
Preview | Our interview with Sir Jim
Our full interview with Sir Jim Ratcliffe is coming soon. For now, watch some of the key moments…
On Wednesday morning, he sat down with Helen Evans and MUTV at the INEOS headquarters in Knightsbridge, London, for an exclusive interview, where he discussed his motivations, philosophies and plans for United.
During the chat, Ratcliffe said that restoring United to a successful position is his sole motivation.
“Yes, I'm not interested in the financial aspects of this investment at all, really, because I make enough money in chemicals and oil and gas really,” he said.
“This is not a financial investment. It's because I'm interested in seeing Manchester United being successful again.
“It hasn't been successful the last 11 years, but it needs to get back to where it should be, which is at the top of the game.”
Sir Jim: Winning is the priority
ArticleUnited's new co-owner believes it is imperative the club always competes for the top honours.
INEOS is a global petrochemicals manufacturer which generates annual revenues of $65 billion.
In addition to United, they are involved with several other teams across various sports, including Nice - who sit third in France's Ligue 1 table - the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team.