Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to take control of football operations at Manchester United in a bid which would see the Glazers continue as majority owners of the club, it has been reported.
With Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani seemingly no longer in the running to buy the 20-time champions of England, British billionaire Ratcliffe is understood to have devised a plan which would see him work alongside the Glazers initially.
According to the BBC, Ratcliffe's Ineos group wants to assume control of football operations at Old Trafford with an estimated £1.3 billion bid which would secure a 25% stake in the club.
That investment would, he hopes, lead to an eventual buyout and takeover from the unpopular Glazers, majority shareholders since 2005.
The BBC say a meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday to discuss the proposals, although it is unclear how such a structure would work.
And on social media, there has already been a negative reaction to the plans, with many fans unhappy at the idea of the Glazers' continued involvement at United.
Former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville was among the sceptics, posting a thread with his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter).
"Can this really work and what impact will it have on a struggling organisation?" he wrote.
"How does a minority stakeholder positively impact the club to achieve the above? Can a minority shareholder have any impact on the above?"
And he added: "My preference is and always will be for a Glazer family full exit. They have overstayed their welcome in Manchester yet seem oblivious to this fact."
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