INEOS ‘put club up for sale’ after Manchester United fans turn on Sir Jim Ratcliffe

· Football365

Maybe Sir Jim Ratcliffe misheard as Red Devils fans told him to “sell United and f-off home”. Wrong club, mate.

After Manchester United fans serenaded INEOS with calls of “sell United and f off home” during their 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday, they’ll be frustrated but perhaps also encouraged by the news that the petrochemicals company are selling a football club, just the wrong one.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chairman and CEO of INEOS, bought a 27.7% minority stake in Manchester United (which has since risen to 28.94%) in February 2024 and took control of all football operations away from long-term owners the Glazer family.

It’s been a disastrous reign, with Michael Carrick now set for imminent dismissal following the sackings of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim. And things aren’t going much better elsewhere across their multi-sport empire.

They’ve been forced to slash their asking price for OGC Nice after putting the club on the market in 2025 and finding no buyers for the mid-table Ligue 1 side, whose fans have railed against Ratcliffe and the INEOS ownership pretty much since they bought the club 2019.

They’ve abruptly pulled out of sponsorship deals of the All Blacks and Tottenham Hotspur, and endured an acrimonious parting of ways with America’s Cup partner Sir Ben Ainslie.

And now they’ve put Swiss Super League side FC Lausanne-Sport up for sale, according to The Athletic.

INEOS bought the Swiss side in 2017 and have now given global consultancy firm Alvarez & Marsal the job of selling the club, who currently sit bottom of the table after 11 games this season.

A five-page prospectus has been sent to potential investors, which The Athletic have sourced a copy of.

It describes Lausanne-Sport as “an established top-flight contender” in a 12-team league with “only two historically dominant clubs”, FC Basel and Young Boys, “both of whom have recently struggled”.

The suggestion being that qualification for European competition is relatively easy compared to other top flight leagues, though they’ve managed that feat just once in nearly a decade of INEOS control.

The prospectus also sells Lausanne as “an asset-light model” with “a unique infrastructure set-up”, presumably by virtue of the club renting its stadium and training ground from the local council.

The question Manchester United fans will be asking is whether INEOS’ retreat from their other sporting ventures could also see them walk away from Old Trafford or if they’re selling up other assets to focus on their prized pig.

The vast majority will be hoping and praying for the former as the brief respite from the misery they enjoyed under Carrick in the second half of last season has been replaced by what may now be a rock bottom low.

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