'They're the nicest people on the planet' - Sir Jim Ratcliffe issues passionate defence of Glazer family despite continued fan unrest since INEOS takeover at Old Trafford

The British billionaire and his company, the INEOS group, bought minority stakes at Manchester United last summer and have been in charge of running the club. While the fans were initially hopeful about Ratcliffe's takeover, they have now started to lose patience. United have had a nightmare outing in the 2024/25 campaign, as they are currently 14th in the Premier League and have crashed out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Despite the fans' anger over the Glazers family's handling of the club and INEOS' takeover, Ratcliffe passionately defended the American businessmen as he told The Times: "To be fair to the Glazers, they're really good on the commercial side. The people who advise me say the fans don't want to hear it. So I've got to be cautious. I get a lot of criticism if I support the Glazers, but the fact is they're really decent people. They're East Coast, you know - that old East Coast America, they're very polite, they're very civilized, they're the nicest people on the planet.

"I mean, there isn't a bad bone in Joel Glazer's body. I mean, part of the problem is there isn't a bad bone in his body, which is why he didn't bloody... I mean, I wouldn't have tolerated Ed Woodward or Richard Arnold. Richard was a rugby man, he didn't even understand football. Ed didn't have the credentials to manage the club. He was a merchant banker, an accountant. He wasn't the chief executive."

In a recent interview, Ratcliffe had claimed that the Red Devils could go "bust by Christmas" as he attempted to rationalise swinging cuts, which have seen a multitude of the Red Devils' staff members lose their jobs. The club also announced their formal plan to build a 100,000 capacity stadium where INEOS will invest £ 2 billion.

Ruben Amorim's side will be back in action in the Premier League on Sunday as they take on Leicester City away from home.