Sir Jim Ratcliffe increases Man Utd stake but £79m deal won’t boost Ruben Amorim’s transfer kitty for January window

Britain’s richest man paid around £1.2 billion ($1.5bn) for a 27.7 per cent share of the Red Devils in February 2024. As part of that deal, which was struck with the Glazer family, Ratcliffe agreed to pump £237m ($300m) worth of funding into United.

It has now been revealed, in a filing listed on the US Securities and Exchange Commission, that Ratcliffe has increased his stake to 28.94 per cent with a £79m outlay. Official ownership of his shares has been transferred to the INEOS company – bringing United in line with his other sporting ventures.

According to the Daily Mail, the funds injected into United by Ratcliffe will not make their way to manager Ruben Amorim and efforts to bolster his squad at the turn of the year. Instead, they have been earmarked for improvements to club infrastructure.

Ratcliffe and Co made approximately £200m ($253m) available to former United boss Erik ten Hag in the last transfer window, only to part with the Dutchman's services in October. Compensation there has cost the Red Devils £15m ($19m), while former sporting director Dan Ashworth is also being paid off after just five months in Manchester.

United fans would have been hoping to see Amorim given more backing on the recruitment front, especially as Ratcliffe has implemented a number of unpopular decisions off the pitch – including ticket price hikes and the release of 250 staff members as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures.