Sir Jim Ratcliffe reveals when Man Utd purchase could be completed as he attends Tottenham game

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said he is hopeful that his purchase of a 25 percent stake in Manchester United should be complete by ‘early to mid-February’.

The 71-year-old will be in attendance for Sunday’s game against Tottenham Hotspur, his first United match since the news of his agreement to become a minority shareholder was announced on Christmas Eve. Ratcliffe will need to pass the Premier League's regulatory tests before the deal can be officially ratified, but the Ineos lead shareholder is hopeful it could be wrapped up in the next month.

Ratcliffe addressed the media in an informal meet and greet at Old Trafford, two hours before the Spurs match on Sunday. The British billionaire joked he was ‘here to say nothing’ as he arrived, as he is legally limited in how much he can say before the deal is officially completed, “unless they find anything dodgy,” he added, with a chuckle.

Ratcliffe cut a relaxed figure as he addressed the press, and the boyhood fan from Failsworth revealed his favourite former players include Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Eric Cantona. The soon-to-be minority shareholder’s attendance at Old Trafford on Sunday will be his first United game in ‘two or three years’, but he said he hopes to attend matches more regularly once the purchase goes through, although he conceded: "I can’t come all the time because I have some other things. But I will come."

Ratcliffe enthusiastically spoke of his during the four-minute address, and said his co-ownership of United is the most exciting thing he’s been involved in. “I have done a few exciting things but there is no question,” he added.

Ratcliffe's attendance at Old Trafford comes after Ineos director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford has been at all three previous matches since the news of the agreement was announced, with CEO Jean-Blanc Claude also at the DW Stadium on Monday for the win over Wigan Athletic.