Why Is Manchester United Buying a Golf Club? Reason Behind Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Decision To Invest in Knutsford Golf Club Revealed

After soccer, is Manchester United making a foray into the golf world too? Well, this strange question has become the subject of speculation ever since Sir Jim Ratcliffe expressed interest in purchasing a golf club for the Red Devils, in which he recently acquired a 25% stake. However, it is crucial to clarify that this search for a golf club is solely motivated by soccer-related reasons.

Reports from Daily Mail indicate that Manchester United has already engaged in discussions about acquiring High Legh Park Golf Club located in Knutsford. The vision behind this purchase is to create a state-of-the-art training complex for the team.

Manchester United planning to build a new training complex

Manchester United is presently finding a fresh training ground and is actively exploring golf course options in the southern region of Manchester. Their current training facility in Carrington, which has been in use since 1999, has fallen behind in terms of quality.

Dive Deeper: What Does Sir Alex Ferguson Think of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Minority Investment as They Sit Together For Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur?

The famous Trafford Training Centre does not match up to the elite standards set by their rivals Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham because of outdated technology. Even Cristiano Ronaldo, before leaving the Red Devils, expressed his dissatisfaction with the progress. During an interview on the Piers Morgan show, CR7 stated, “The progress was zero,” since Sir Alex Ferguson left.

With new INEOS ownership, Manchester United seeks to transform a 100-acre golf club into a cutting-edge training complex. Currently, they are engaged in discussions to acquire the High Legh Park Golf Club, which boasts an 18-hole Championship course and a nine-hole layout.

This golf club was put on sale last year after being purchased by American Golf for $3.4 million in 2021. If the acquisition goes through, it could potentially pave the way for an impressive new training facility for Manchester United. Besides this significant move, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has implemented some noteworthy rule changes.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe brought back the ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’ rule

One of Manchester United’s previous rules was to avoid offering players a weekly wage exceeding $240k. This rule, often referred to as the Cristiano Ronaldo rule, was put in place following his controversial departure from the team when he was earning significantly higher wages than his teammates.

However, this rule was broken with the signing of Mason Mount for a weekly wage of approximately $316k. With the recent takeover, Manchester United is reinstating this rule. It will undoubtedly help them ensure compliance with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. It is evident that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is already making substantial decisions for the club’s future success.

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