Manchester United bidder Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the second wealthiest person in the United Kingdom, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
The 70-year-old is now worth £29.688 billion, with only Gopi Hinduja and family – worth £35bn – ahead of him.
Ratcliffe has been in a battle with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani to buy Man United.
He was estimated to be worth £6.05bn a year ago, but his chemicals fortune has since climbed by £23.6bn.
The INEOS CEO was named the UK’s wealthiest person in 2018, and successfully acquiring the Red Devils could improve his fortunes.
The Qataris are preferred by the fans as they want to buy 100% of Man United.
Sheikh Jassim also wants to clear the club’s £1bn debt and has the funds to oversee a much-needed rebuild.
The fans reckon Ratcliffe is not capable of providing the resources needed to take Man United to the next level.
However, he has what it takes to fund some major developments going by his worth.
The £30bn reveal is a boost for Man United’s rebuild prospects.
The Old Trafford club need a new or refurbished stadium, an upgraded training ground and new players.
Ratcliffe is more than capable of providing all that, and he could still win the bidding war despite Sheikh Jassim’s latest bid.
The offer, submitted on Tuesday, is believed to be around £5.5bn.
However, the British billionaire’s offer still values the club higher than the Qataris’.
He is also proposing to take a 50% share if his bid is successful, which would lead to a gradual takeover that values the club at around the £6bn the Glazers want.
Ratcliffe is giving the owners the chance to remain on the board for a while, which could see him win the race.
