'His main message was how everything needs to be focused on a winning team'

INCOMING minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has told United supporter groups he is there to help take the club back to the top rather than make money.

- SIMON PEACH

After a frustrating, prolonged it 13-month process, was announced on Christmas Eve that the Ineos chairman had agreed to buy a 25 per cent stake from the Glazer family.

Ratcliffe receives control of football operations at the Premier League club under the terms of a deal that he told reporters he expects to be approved by mid-February.

The 71-year-old watched Sunday's 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham at Old Trafford, where he returned the following day to engage with fan representatives and local leaders.

Ratcliffe met members of the club's Fans' Advisory Board and leaders of the Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST), before holding a video meeting with the larger Fans' Forum.

"His main message was that everything at United needs to be ruthlessly focused on creating winning teams on the field – something we are sure all fans will agree on,” MUST said.