Sir Jim Ratcliffe will face big challenges

According to the latest rich list of the Sunday Times, in the year after taking over Manchester United, British billionaire Jim Ratcliff's personal assets shrank significantly, with a cumulative loss of 6.5 billion pounds (about 7.8 billion US dollars), equivalent to one-quarter of his total assets.

The 72-year-old founder of Ineos Group is currently ranked seventh in the UK's 350 richest people. His wealth has dropped from £23.5 billion a year ago to about £17 billion now. It is reported that the main reason for the shrinking of assets is the financial pressure faced by its chemical giant INEOS, which is closely related to his investment strategy after taking over Manchester United.

The huge investment after taking over Manchester United In February 2024, INEOS acquired 27.7% of Manchester United's shares for £1.25 billion and took over the club's football operations. Although Ratcliff emphasized that his commitment to Manchester United will not be shaken, the continued investment of huge funds has begun to have a significant impact on his personal assets.

Ratcliffe's Manchester United's road to reform is not smooth. After taking office, he took a series of measures to cut expenses, including reducing the youth training camp budget and adjusting the jersey sponsorship contract, which have caused widespread controversy among fans and the media.

He once publicly stated: "If we do not make some difficult or even unpopular decisions, Manchester United may face the risk of funds being exhausted by the end of this year." This remark further aggravated the outside world's concerns about the club's fiscal situation. The team's performance is sluggish, and the Europa League final is the last hope

At the competitive level, Manchester United's performance this season is also disappointing. Currently they are only ranked 16th in the Premier League, only a few goals higher than the relegation zone. However, the team successfully reached the UEFA Cup final and will face Tottenham Hotspur on May 22, which is seen as the last chance to save the season.

In addition to financial issues, Ratcliff also proposed a grand stadium construction plan: it plans to build a new home stadium for Manchester United with a capacity of 100,000 people, with a project budget of up to 2 billion pounds. If the program is approved, it will make Manchester United one of the most advanced clubs in the world.

In addition, the club is also actively preparing for the transfer market this summer, hoping to reorganize the lineup through signing and reorganizing the sluggish performance in recent years.

Although Manchester United is currently in trouble with internal and external affairs, Ratcliff still insists that through long-term investment and structural reform, the Red Devils will eventually return to the top European giants. However, how to find a balance between controlling costs and improving competitiveness will be the biggest challenge facing this rich man.