SIR JIM RATCLIFFE could be forced to sell his shares in Manchester United after a little-known clause kicked in.
The British billionaire, 72, purchased a 27.7 per cent stake in the Red Devils for £1.03billion in February 2024.
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Despite being a minority shareholder, Ratcliffe has been given free rein to control the day to day running of the club.
The Ineos chief has already left his stamp on the Red Devils, drastically changing the club’s football structure, appointing Ruben Amorim as boss, making hundreds of staff members redundant and announcing plans for a new £2bn stadium.
Ratcliffe also recently unveiled the new £50m upgrades made to United’s Carrington base.
Despite having his feet well and truly under the table at Old Trafford, Ratcliffe could be forced to sell, should the Glazer family wish.
As pointed out by the Mail, a “drag-along” clause was included in the deal that saw Ratcliffe buy a chunk of Man Utd.
This kind of clause is commonplace in business deals in order to give majority shareholders the power to sell.
The clause, which kicked in 18 months on from Ratcliffe’s purchase, means that the Glazer family can force the Ineos boss to sell up, should they receive an offer for the entire club which they deem acceptable.
Referring to the clause upon his arrival at United, Ratcliffe said: “I don’t think we’re going to be taking the legal agreements out of the bottom drawer.
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“I just hope they gather dust and we never see them. Which it should be. It should be on the basis of a relationship.”
Ratcliffe has sought to build a strong partnership with the Glazers.
In March he risked Man Utd fans’ wrath by telling 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 civilised, they’re the nicest people on the planet.”
Ratcliffe beat off interest from Qatari Sheikh Jassim to buy his stake in United.
It remains to be seen whether Jassim, who tried to purchase the Red Devils outright from the Glazer family, could try again.
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