By Kieran Maguire

6th Feb, 2023 | 7:32am

Kieran Maguire: Jim Ratcliffe wants to bypass Man United takeover brokers and seal 'discount' deal

Sir Jim Ratcliffe would rather operate via the media rather than work directly with Man United takeover brokers Raine Group – and he hopes his relationship with the club could secure a “discount” deal.

That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the latest developments in the UK’s richest man’s attempts to take control at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe and his INEOS group are the only investors to have publicly declared themselves in the running to take over from the Glazers, although many others have been linked.

But the Daily Mail reported on 28 January that United officials have been “privately scathing” about the 70-year-old’s overtures towards them as they believe he has no intention of meeting the Glazers’ £6billion asking price.

Ratcliffe, who tried to buy Chelsea last May and also owns French side OCG Nice, has the backing of many United supporters given that he is a boyhood fan of the club.

Maguire believes he may use this emotional connection to try to secure a cut-price deal by bypassing the Raine Group, the firm hired by the Glazers to help orchestrate the takeover.

“If you take a look at Ratcliffe’s acquisition of Nice, that has not been seen as a complete success in terms of on-pitch achievement,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.

“Ratcliffe’s approach when he tried to buy Chelsea was to go via the media rather than keep things quiet and go through the Raine Group.

“It could be seen as an attempt to gain populist support by going local. That might be with a view to getting the club at a discount.

“I think he is now try ing to use other emotional and historic links between himself and Manchester as leverage.”

In other news, Man United pulled plug on Facundo Pellistri move after deal agreed.