Sir Jim Ratcliffe to copy Chelsea strategy as he closes in on part-ownership of Manchester United - Reports

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly on the cusp of acquiring part-ownership of Manchester United, and he is expected to copy Chelsea's strategy once his bid is approved.

Following news of his pending involvement, Manchester United have engaged the services of the American firm Pace, which specializes in recruitment. This is in a bid to revamp their talent acquisition strategy, which now aims to bolster the club's capacity to scout and nurture young talent.

According to The Sun (via Football London), Jim Ratcliffe believes this is a domain where Chelsea, under Todd Boehly's stewardship, have excelled. The Blues have witnessed a surge in young players ascending to the senior squad. This is exemplified by the fact that only two of Mauricio Pochettino's team members are over 25 years old - Raheem Sterling and Thiago Silva.

Old Trafford's decision to leverage the expertise of Pace is reportedly driven by the club's ambition to rival Stamford Bridge in developing young talent. This shift represents a departure from United's traditional reliance on an in-house scouting department.

With a net worth exceeding $22 billion, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is poised to secure a 25% stake in Manchester United. This will put an end to a protracted situation that included negotiations with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim.

Despite this new partnership, the Glazer family will maintain a majority stake of 52% in the club. But Ratcliffe's involvement is anticipated to bring a renewed focus to the football operations at Old Trafford.

The billionaire, armed with a formidable $35 billion portfolio, is set to implement significant changes at United. A key aspect of Ratcliffe's plan involves extensive modernization of Old Trafford, with proposed stadium upgrades forming a crucial component of his investment strategy.

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Chelsea and Manchester United eye Brighton's Evan Ferguson

Brighton's blossoming talent Evan Ferguson has caught the attention of English powerhouses Chelsea and Manchester United, as reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The young striker's impressive performances (five goals in 11 Premier League games this season) have not gone unnoticed, and it's speculated that a move to a top-tier Premier League club might be on the horizon.

However, Romano has emphasized that Ferguson remains dedicated to Brighton, appreciating the club's vision and trajectory. He wrote in his Daily Briefing column for Caught Offside:

“We keep seeing Brighton’s Evan Ferguson linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United. I can confirm that big clubs like these are following Ferguson, because he’s a top talent, but it’s just normal scouting and monitoring..."

“There is, however, nothing more concrete to report for the moment. Ferguson only recently signed a new contract with Brighton, so he’s fully focused on them."

United's interest in Ferguson may be fueled by their current striking woes, while the Blues face similar challenges in their forward line.