Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s wealth falls by over £6 billion

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the co-owner of Manchester United, has experienced a significant drop in his wealth, losing £6.47 billion in the past year, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

His fortune now stands at £17.04 billion, down from £23.51 billion a year ago, placing him seventh on the list of the UK's 350 wealthiest individuals.

Ratcliffe, the founder of petrochemicals giant INEOS, acquired a 27.70 per cent stake in Manchester United for £1.25 billion in February 2022 and has since increased his ownership to 28.94 per cent.

Taking the helm of football operations, he has implemented cost-cutting measures in an attempt to revitalize the club's performance.

Currently, Manchester United sits in 16th place in the Premier League with two games left to play. Their hopes for a successful season rest on winning the Europa League final against 17th-placed Tottenham.

However, it has been a better year for some of the nation’s sports stars, with Rory McIlroy, Anthony Joshua, Sir Andy Murray and Harry Kane all increasing their wealth.

Masters champion McIlroy is the leading athlete in the Sunday Times’ 40 under 40 list – which documents the worth of the 40 richest people under the age of 40 – the Northern Irish golfer sitting in 19th place after increasing his personal fortune from £225million to £260m.

Boxer Joshua, who has not fought since losing inside five rounds to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September, appears in 24th on £195m, a rise of £20m, while retired tennis star Murray is equal 35th on £110m, up from £100m.

England captain Kane, who finally ended his wait for a first major trophy when Bayern Munich clinched the Bundesliga title earlier this month, just makes the list in joint-38th place with £100m, £25m more than last year.

They are all dwarfed, however, by Tom and Phil Beahon, the brothers who launched sportswear brand Castore – kit supplier to the England rugby union and cricket teams – from their parents’ home. Their £350m – a rise of £16m – was good enough for 14th place.

Elsewhere in the main list, the Reuben family, which through RB Sports and Media holds a 15 per cent stake in Premier League Newcastle, appears in second place with a fortune of £26.873bn, while the Coates family – John Coates holds a controlling interest in Sky Bet Championship Stoke – is 16th with £9.445bn.