Mercedes Chief Toto Wolff has confirmed he has held talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe to join his Manchester United bid.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has forked out £1.4bn to acquire 25% stake of Manchester United from the Glazers.
The English billionaire and Man United childhood fan emerged as favorite to win the biding race for Manchester United after his rival Sheikh Jassim Al Thani withdrew his bid for the club.
Sheikh Jassim blasted the Glazers for using him to inflate the asking price for Manchester United and then going for a partial bidder.
The Glazers wanted a full takeover of Manchester United but raged on the Glazers outlandish valuation of £6bn when the market capitalization of the club was a little above £3bn.
Whatever was the ill-feelings of the Qatari contingent seems to have been finally justified by the Glazers’ decision to sell a partial stake of Manchester United to Sir Jim Ratcliffe to retain their ownership of the club.
A £1.4bn offer is on the table by Sir Jim Ratcliffe but the two parties are yet to put finishing touches to the deal. Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants more clarity on a full takeover clause included in the deal as he subsequently wants to wield full control of proceedings in the nearest future.
Now, according to report reaching us from The Sun, Sir Jim Ratcliffe could possibly have an investment partner in Mercedes Chief and close friend Toto Wolff.
As per the report, Toto Wolff has confirmed he has open talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe to join his bid to own a stake at Manchester United.
Speaking to the PA News Agency, he said: “Jim has shared the trajectory with me.
“I very much respect his values and we trust each other.
“If we felt it would make sense to be part of the investment group then I would certainly look at it.”
The Austrian then added: “Jim and Manchester United is a love story because he is born there.
“Our personal relationship is strong and with Ola Kallenius, they call us the Three Amigos because we live in the no bulls*** world.
“If felt I could contribute then I would consider joining him at Manchester United.”
Toto Wolff and Ratcliffe are said to be close business partners and have worked together co-owning a stake in Mercedes.
Wolff, 51, started his business journey in 2009 when he bought a share in Williams paving the way for his Formula One ownership.
He has risen through the ranks to become the Chief Executive in Mercedes since 2013 and is one of the most influential figures in Motorsports.
Details of his investment plan with Ratcliffe on Manchester United are sketchy but it is believed a hand from Wolff on the United deal could be a big leverage for Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
According to Forbes, Wolff net worth is estimated at £1.3bn. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly planning a huge capital outlay of £1bn for infrastructural revamp at Old Trafford.
The 71-year-old will take charge of Man United sporting operations with a huge demand for resources. Wolff’s investment could make a huge difference.
