British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has revealed that he is willing to buy Premier League club Manchester United following a report that the Glazer family is willing to sell a minority stake in the club.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, United has struggled, and it has failed to win a title since 2017 with numerous demonstrations held by fans against the Glazers’ ownership.

The woeful start to the new season under new manager Erik ten Hag which has seen the Red Devils lose both their opening Premier League games has intensified criticism of the Glazers and their perceived lack of investment in the team.

Ratcliffe, a native of Lancashire and the major shareholder of chemical company Ineos, has supported Manchester United since he was a little child.

He also owns the cycling team Ineos Grenadiers and the French team Nice, as well as the Swiss club Lausanne-Sport and the F1-affiliated Ineos.

Speaking to The Times, Ratcliffe’s spokesperson said: “If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer.”

“If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.”

“This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent,” the spokesperson added. “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.”

As compared to Musk’s net worth of $270bn, Ratcliffe is according to Forbes estimated to be worth around $16.3bn.

In May, Ratcliffe made an unsuccessful £4.25bn offer to buy Chelsea after owner Roman Abramovich put the London club up for sale.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is Britain’s richest man, according to Forbes