Uncertainty grows at Manchester United as Sir Jim Ratcliffe puts Lausanne-Sport up for sale.
The British billionaire’s petrochemical company INEOS announced on 26 October that it is open to selling the Swiss Super League club. Since buying Lausanne in 2017, the team has been promoted, relegated, promoted again and finished mid-table.
Last season, the club achieved some success, progressing to the knockout stage of the UEFA Conference League. However, after winning one of its first 11 games this campaign, the club currently sits at the bottom of the table.
Manchester United, which Ratcliffe became a minority owner of in 2023 before transferring his shares to INEOS in 2024, has experienced a similar situation.
The Premier League giant ended the 2025/26 season in third place, a finish that looked out of reach following a poor start. With Champions League qualification as the main target, the club sacked Ruben Amorim and appointed interim manager Michael Carrick.
Taking charge for the final 17 matches, Carrick managed to collect 39 points, the most of any manager in the league during that period. Following his success, INEOS and the Glazer family appointed him permanently.
However, after a disappointing transfer window, Manchester United sits one point above the relegation zone, having collected seven points from its first eight matches.
Given the poor performances and promises to build on last season, supporters have grown frustrated with the players, the board and the ownership. Much of this anger has fallen at the feet of Ratcliffe.
Anger peaked following last weekend’s 0-3 defeat against Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Supporters serenaded Carrick, with many believing it could be his last game, before quickly turning their attention to the players and ownership to express their displeasure.
One chant sung by the home fans for much of the game was: “Sell United and f*** off home.”
INEOS considers exits from other clubs
Since the game against Bournemouth, Manchester United fans have anticipated Carrick’s sacking, which would make him the third manager to depart since INEOS took over football operations.
However, three days later, the former Manchester United midfielder is still at the club and is set to take training this morning (27 October), despite media speculation about potential replacements.
Reports suggest the club is weighing its options and may be influenced by the fact that Carrick still has 18 months remaining on his two-year contract. Sacking him would mean paying out the remainder of his deal, as well as the cost of bringing in a replacement.
With finances a key consideration, selling Lausanne-Sport could also be part of INEOS’s wider approach to its football investments. Reports suggest the Swiss club could fetch around £209.5m ($280.1m).
INEOS also owns French club Nice, which is reportedly also up for sale. While Ratcliffe’s company originally sought upwards of £172m to £215m for the club, reports suggest it has lowered its expectations to around £42m.
Why a new stadium is likely the real motivation
Manchester United is also looking to build a 100,000-seat stadium, dubbed by Ratcliffe as a “Wembley of the North”.
A new stadium is estimated to cost around £2bn, likely rising to around £3bn once land acquisitions and wider redevelopment are factored in.
The proposed stadium could significantly increase Manchester United’s value and commercial potential. Real Madrid published its 2025/26 financial results in July, confirming operating revenue of €1.22bn, an increase of 3.1% year-on-year.
The majority of the season’s income came from the club’s renovated stadium. Real Madrid said the Bernabéu accounted for 41% of total operating revenue, with stadium income more than doubling since 2018/19, the year before the renovation began.
