Sir Jim Ratcliffe hinted at the possibility of Elon Musk using his $486 billion fortune to invest in Manchester United in a potentially revolutionary move.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly explored the possibility of securing financial support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk or Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos before purchasing his shares in Manchester United. Ratcliffe initially agreed to acquire a 27.7% stake in the club for £1.2 billion in December last year, finalizing the deal earlier this year. He has since increased his shareholding to 28.94%, investing an additional £79 million for a 1.24% stake.
According to The Athletic, Ratcliffe discussed the idea of involving Musk or Bezos in one of his meetings, suggesting that the prestige of owning Manchester United might appeal to them, given their vast resources. Musk’s net worth is estimated at $486 billion, while Bezos has a fortune of $246 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. However, it remains unclear whether these discussions advanced beyond the initial stages.
While Musk has no prior experience with sports team ownership, he has been speculated as a potential investor in English football, drawing comparisons to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ownership of Wrexham. Ratcliffe, meanwhile, continues to increase his stake in Manchester United, though his recent investment will not be allocated to the upcoming transfer window.
Manchester United, currently enduring a challenging season, recently suffered their seventh league defeat and sit 13th in the table with 22 points. Their remaining league fixtures this year include matches against Wolves on Boxing Day and Newcastle United on Decembe
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