Sir Jim Ratcliffe discussed buying Manchester United. 

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said that he would have been interested in pursuing a possible takeover of Manchester United if it had been available this summer. However, he claims that the Glazer family has indicated that they do not wish to sell the club.

It was claimed in August that Failsworth-born United fan Ratcliffe, 69, was interested in purchasing a minority stake with the intention of eventually gaining complete control at Old Trafford. This information came from a spokesperson for the club. Ineos, which is currently the fourth-largest chemical firm in the world, was founded by Ratcliffe, who also serves as the company's chairman.

In April of 2020, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index placed Ratcliffe as the 55th richest person on the entire planet. At the same time, they ranked him as the second richest person in the United Kingdom. As a result, Ratcliffe is one of the individuals who has the potential to actually finance a takeover; nevertheless, it seems that the much-maligned Americans are not eager to part ways.

On Tuesday evening in London, Sir Jim gave a speech at an event that was hosted by The Financial Times in conjunction with the company that he works for, Ineos. After covering a wide range of topics relating to business and entrepreneurship, the conversation eventually shifted to football and his most cherished team, the Reds.

The Glazer family, who I've had the pleasure of meeting, are the owners of Manchester United, as Ratcliffe explained. I've had the pleasure of meeting Joel and Avram, and I have to say, they are two of the most pleasant people you could ever hope to meet; they are true gentlemen.

"If it had been for sale in the summer, then yes, we would have probably made an attempt following on from the Chelsea thing, but we can't just sit around hoping that one day Manchester United will become available. If it had been for sale in the summer, then yes, we would have probably made an attempt following on from the Chelsea thing. OGC Nice competes in Ligue 1, making it one of the most exciting sporting franchises in the country, but we do not have a premier team.

"Football is the sport that we were brought up with, so it is the one that is the most familiar to us. It is also the sport that has the most fans around the world. We should really have some sort of investment in the sporting franchise."