By Jeremy Cross & Tom Victor
Even before his 25 percent takeover of Manchester United was confirmed on Tuesday, Sir Jim Ratcliffe had begun to show those at Manchester United what he was about.
The British billionaire has invested around £1.3billion to take a minority stake in the club, and will be in charge of football operations. Since his arrival was first announced in December, United have appointed new CEO Omar Berrada and made efforts to lure Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth to Old Trafford.
Throughout the process, Ratcliffe made a big deal of his Manchester United fandom. And, as outlined by The Star, this fandom is evident in a visit to his INEOS headquarters in London.
The 71-year-old has a clear interest in various sports, from cycling to Formula 1. At his HQ a stone's throw from department store Harrods, though, football is king.
It's not just football memorabilia, of course - a signed rugby ball here, a cycling helmet there - but there is clear evidence of the United fandom. The name of choice on a United shirt by a meeting room window? Eric Cantona, who helped delivered the first of the club's 13 Premier League titles.
Manchester United scarves are also on display amid reminders of the club's historical success. That's something he'll be looking to bring back, with a solitary League Cup title representing United's men's team's only silverware since 2017.
Also, perhaps more surprisingly, the headquarters is home to animal skeletons and skulls. Also on show is a stuffed parrot, from which fans are free to draw their own conclusions.
What are your expectations for Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Manchester United? Have your say in the
Also on show is something described as the 'INEOS compass'. It's made up of 'words we like' and 'words we don't like', with some potentially seeing this as a glimpse into how Ratcliffe might operate at United.
'Words We Like' include: 'creativity', 'growth', 'listeners' listeners', 'consequence', 'sensible' and 'northerners'. 'Words We Don't Like' include: 'clock watchers', 'wafflers', 'quitters', 'hiding', 'winging it' and 'don't do dumb s***'.
Ratcliffe has already made his first moves into football, with French club OGC Nice and Swiss outfit Lausanne-Sport. Compared to Manchester United, though, those sides might be considered relatively out of the spotlight.
"To become co-owner of Manchester United is a great honour and comes with great responsibility," Ratcliffe said in a statement after the takeover was confirmed. He was welcomed by chairman Joel Glazer, who said he was looking forward to "working closely" with the Brit.
"This marks the completion of the transaction, but just the beginning of our journey to take Manchester United back to the top of English, European and world football, with world-class facilities for our fans," Ratcliffe added. "Work to achieve those objectives will accelerate from today.”
While incoming CEO Berrada is due to start work at United this year once his gardening leave at City Football Group ends, there may be a longer wait for Ashworth. The Newcastle man has been placed on gardening leave as well, but may have to wait 18 months to move to Old Trafford unless the Manchester club stump up £20million - much to Ratcliffe's frustration.
"Dan Ashworth is clearly one of top sporting directors in the world. I have no doubt he is a very capable person. He is interested in Manchester United because it’s the biggest challenge, at the biggest club in the world," Ratcliffe said on Wednesday.
"It would be different at Manchester City, because you’re maintaining a level. Here it’s a significant rebuilding job. And I think he would be a very good addition. He needs to decide if he is going to make that jump. We have had words with Newcastle, who would be disappointed.
“I understand why they would be disappointed, but then you can’t criticise Dan because it’s a transient industry. You can understand why Dan would be interested, because it’s the ultimate challenge.
"We'll have to see how it unfolds. What I do think is completely absurd, is suggesting a man who is really good at his job sits in his garden for one and a half years.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.