Manchester Evening News

Sir Jim Ratcliffe may be the co-owner of Manchester United, but his petrochemical company Ineos was heavily involved with Tottenham Hotspur until recently

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's company Ineos has agreed to pay Tottenham Hotspur more than £11million to bring a lawsuit to a swift conclusion, according to reports.

The Manchester United co-owner's company was accused of breaching a five-year minimum contract worth £17.5m which enabled Tottenham to promote the firm's Grenadier as the club's "official 4X4 vehicle partner." The deal was believed to have been signed in 2022, but Ineos had been in partnership with Spurs since they were recognised as the club's "official hand-sanitiser supplier” during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Tottenham terminated their deal with Ratcliffe's firm in March and launched legal action three months later. They allege a £5m-plus annual instalment was not paid on December 1, having already allegedly not paid an inflation-related figure of around £500,000.

According to reports from the Telegraph, the total figure paid to Spurs is undisclosed, but a source close to the situation claimed the agreed figure was around half what the north Londoners were after.

Moreover, Spurs were looking for nearly £5.3m in damages when the deal was ended with more than two years left to run. Shortly after, Ineos responded by counter-suing Spurs for more than £1m.

They accused the north Londoners of taking part in sponsorship discussions with Audi, which were linked with Harry Kane's move to Bayern Munich.

In their counterclaim, Ineos said: "On or around 3 August 2023 (i.e. early in contract year two), Todd Kline of the club indicated to Ashley Reed of Ineos that the club had been in discussions with the German car manufacturer Audi AG in connection with rights which were the same as, or substantially similar to, the rights granted to Ineos under the agreement and/or the club had been negotiating with Audi in respect of rights which were exclusive to Ineos under clause 4 of the agreement.

"According to Mr Kline, the discussions and/or negotiations related to a proposed transfer of the club’s player Harry Kane to the German club FC Bayern Munich.”

Ineos' defence also stated the commercial partnership had "not materialised" but also resulted in Spurs and Ineos agreeing they "could terminate the agreement with effect from the end of year three of the contract term."

They insisted: "In the circumstances, it is the club which owes Ineos more than £1m for failing to provide any rights to Ineos in the final part of year three.”

Spurs did admit to holding commercial talks with Audi, but refuted the suggesting these talks gave Ineos the right to terminate their deal, due to the fact Spurs never made an agreement with the German car manufacturer. Tottenham claim the deal with Ineos "involved annual payments starting at £2.125m in year one and increasing to £4.6m in year five, all plus VAT and index-linked to the rate of inflation" and that they would be seeking interest "further or other relief as the court thinks fit”.

At the time, an Ineos spokesperson said: "Ineos Automotive was a partner of Tottenham Hotspur from 2022, expanding on a partnership agreement that Ineos Group had in place with the club since 2020. We had a contractual right to terminate our partnership contract and in December 2024 exercised that right.”

Ineos have cut ties with many major sports teams they had been sponsoring. They have already severed ties with Ben Ainslie's sailing team and the New Zealand All Blacks rugby union team.

In February, the Telegraph also reported the latter were launching legal action, claiming their deal, which was expected to run until 2027, was ended early, despite an agreement. Ineos have claimed they have been forced into cost-cutting due to "extreme" green carbon taxes in Europe.

Ratcliffe also blamed rising energy prices and taxes as the reason behind the company's decision to close their synthetic ethanol plant in Grangemouth Scotland, which saw 80 direct roles and a further 500 indirect jobs be lost.

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will speak to the media today as he previews his side's Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

United had hoped to make it four wins in a row at the City Ground last weekend but were undone by a second-half comeback from Nottingham Forest. Amad struck late on with a superb volley to rescue a point for the Reds as they made it four games unbeaten.

The draw saw United slip down to eighth in the table but Saturday represents a chance for them to close the gap on the sides above them. One of the sides ahead of them in the table is Spurs, with Thomas Frank's side two places above United despite having the same number of points.

Amorim will provide any early team news and injury updates this afternoon, so stick with us for updates from the United head coach.

Manchester United will head to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime looking to make it five games unbeaten in the Premier League.

Ex-Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur striker Teddy Sheringham reckons the Reds are unlikely to see the home fans turn on Thomas Frank and his team like they did against Chelsea last weekend.

Following a 1-0 reverse to their cross-city rivals, Spurs' supporters showed their discontent towards Frank and the team's performance at the full-time whistle. Tottenham did return to winning ways on Tuesday night, though, with a comfortable 4-0 win over FC Copenhagen in the Champions League.

However, any suggestion that the Reds may capitalise on possible a nervy atmosphere in north London has been downplayed. Speaking to Oddspedia as part of an exclusive interview for MEN Sport, Sheringham believes United will be met with a united force this weekend.

"I was at the Spurs game last night and I was interested to see what the reaction of the supporters would be like after the Chelsea game," Sheringham explained. "They were up for it again and Tottenham ended up putting in a good display.

"It wasn't fantastic - they probably ended up playing better with ten men than they did with 11 - but I don't think the United game is the type of game for Spurs fans to not appreciate what’s going on. Everyone loves it when Manchester United come to town and everyone raises their game, so I don't think it’s this type of fixture that will be a problem for Thomas Frank.

"I think Tottenham will be up for it and so will their supporters - so it will be a fantastic game. It's the other games that Tottenham are expected to win when they're playing against the likes of Brentford at home where it starts to become a bit sticky."

With allegiances to both sides, Sheringham is hoping for a good, competitive fixture. "I was going to say there's goals in it, but Manchester United’s defence has tightened up a bit recently and Tottenham look solid at the back with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero," he concluded.

"I'll go for a 1-1 draw." Both sides head into the match on 17 points and - should there be a winner - they will move up to second in the Premier League even if it is for just a few hours.

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Former Man United flop set for surprise Lionel Messi link-up after three months as free agent

Sergio Reguilon has been without a club since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, but the Spanish left-back is set to make a return to the game with Inter Miami

Former Manchester United loanee Sergio Reguilon is poised to make his comeback to football after three months as a free agent by signing for Inter Miami, according to reports.

The Major League Soccer outfit are seeking a new left-back following confirmation from Reguilon's Spain teammate Jordi Alba that this campaign will be his final one.

The 28 year old Reguilon has remained without a club since departing Tottenham Hotspur upon his contract's expiration in June.

His five-year stint with the North London outfit yielded just 73 appearances, with loan spells at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford punctuating his time there.

The Athletic reports that Inter Miami are "close" to securing Reguilon's signature. Nevertheless, the same source indicates they will likely be unable to field him in competitive fixtures until the following season owing to MLS' September roster freeze.

The Florida-based club are gearing up for a hectic summer, with Sergio Busquets also preparing to hang up his boots. Uncertainty also surrounds the long-term prospects of two other former Barcelona stars on their books, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Inter Miami claimed the Supporters' Shield last term but stumbled in the post-season playoffs. Another ex-Barcelona legend, Javier Mascherano, assumed the head coach role ahead of the 2025 campaign and has already guaranteed a play-off return with matches to spare.

Should Reguilon join the club before the year's end, he'll witness Messi and company's bid to claim the MLS Cup. The Argentine icon leads Inter Miami's scoring charts this campaign with 32 strikes across all competitions, his 24 MLS strikes matching Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga.

The World Cup victor has acknowledged his playing days are numbered, recently appearing visibly moved following what may have been his final competitive international outing on home soil. "I haven't made a decision about the [2026] World Cup," he remarked at the time.

"I'll finish the season then I'll have pre-season, and there will be six months left. So we'll see how I feel."

Reguilon has previously faced Messi, Suarez, Busquets and Alba, featuring on the losing side during a 2019 Clasico when Barcelona triumphed over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

He also featured twice against the Catalan giants whilst with Sevilla and came off the bench twice against them during his time with Atleti in the 2023/24 campaign.

The full-back managed only six outings for Spurs in his concluding North London season - four in league action and two in domestic cup competitions.

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Manchester United missed out on Champions League football and the £100m that accompanied it when they lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United are reportedly considering the possibility of playing mid-season friendlies during Champions League matchdays to boost their revenue this season.

United are without European football for the first time since the 2014/15 season and this has left them with a shortfall in their incoming revenue. While it soon became apparent that the Reds would miss out on the Champions League through their Premier League position, hopes rested on winning the Europa League final instead.

However, a lacklustre performance against Tottenham Hotspur saw them miss out on Europe entirely and has left their schedule looking blank in comparison to many of their rivals. With United also exiting the Carabao Cup earlier than anticipated, The Sun understands the Reds are considering arranging friendlies in countries like the UAE with other top clubs who also missed out on Europe.

Notably, AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Lazio and Sevilla all face the prospect of no European football this season and could be potential opponents for the Reds when their domestic rivals are in the Champions League. Ineos have been no strangers to using unorthodox methods to boost the club's finances since arriving at Old Trafford.

At the end of last season, United toured Asia facing two fixtures against local teams. It is believed that tour generated £7.8m while their participation in the Premier League Series banked them a slightly smaller amount.

The Sun now claims that United would be able to bank half of that amount for a game against AC Milan or potentially more against a smaller European club who may not have the same pull as the Reds. Failure to qualify for the Champions League is thought to cost any given club £100m.

However, this plan could be considered controversial among some supporters considering the travel strain this would put on the Reds' first-team squad during a season where they desperately need to perform better in the Premier League. There is also the increased, and largely unnecessary, risk of picking up more injuries during these tours.

With Financial Fair Play (FFP) such a big consideration for clubs in this day and age, any extra income is vital to ensure money can be spent on new signings. United managed to bring in more players than was expected this summer thanks to player sales with the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Antony making way for Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo.

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Tottenham Hotspur parted ways with chairman Daniel Levy this week leading to speculation surrounding the future of the Premier League club

Manchester United supporters' hopes of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani taking full control of the club could have been handed a blow following the news coming out of Tottenham Hotspur this week.

Spurs recently announced that their chairman of 25 years Daniel Levy had left the club. The news came as a shock to the football world considering the billionaire's keen affection towards the north London club and his previous denial that he would walk away.

Reports have suggested that Levy was moved on by the owners the ENIC Group as they look to take Spurs to the next level. While in their statement announcing the chairman's exit Tottenham insisted that this decision would not lead to a takeover, speculation is rife that the owners will sell sooner rather than later.

Newcastle's former owner Amanda Staveley has held previous interest in investing in Spurs and so has Sheikh Jassim. The Qatari banker was one of the frontrunners to purchase United when the Glazers opened themselves up to offers.

Sheikh Jassim's plan was for a full takeover but it soon became clear that the Glazers wanted to sell a minority stake in the club. While this was not something the Sheikh wanted to entertain, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos agreed leading to the structure of the club that we see today.

Soon afterwards, the banker was linked with a move to Spurs after inklings that an opportunity could arise to purchase them. However, there is still a long way to go before that deal could be done.

Ratcliffe and Ineos appear committed to the long-term project at United and, as such, Sheikh Jassim may feel that moving for Tottenham is a quicker way of getting into the elite Premier League group. Levy's exit throws a twist to the saga as clearly Spurs are going through a period of transition in the boardroom.

Whether this makes a full takeover in the short-term more or less likely remains to be seen. But as things stand, there is more chance of Sheikh Jassim purchasing Spurs than the Reds.

Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.

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Daniel Levy has stepped down as Tottenham's executive chairman after almost 25 years at the club, with iconic Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson's opinion on the savvy negotiator clear

Daniel Levy has stepped down as Tottenham's executive chairman, and legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's admission encapsulates what a hard nut he was to crack.

Levy, who joined the Spurs board in December 2000, has been the driving force behind the north London club's transition from White Hart Lane to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He now steps down after almost 25 years without any alterations to his ownership or shares in the club.

This follows closely on the heels of Vinai Venkatesham's appointment as chief executive officer, while Peter Charrrington has joined the board and assumed the role of non-executive chairman, in what is being portrayed as a move prioritising sporting success.

During his tenure with Spurs, Levy was known for his hardball approach to transfers, earning a reputation as a savvy negotiator with a knack for striking a deal.

However, these tactics irked iconic United manager Ferguson when the two clubs were pitted against each other in negotiations over Dimitar Berbatov 17 years ago.

Berbatov eventually completed a move from White Hart Lane to Old Trafford for £30million, although the acrimonious aftermath saw Tottenham lodge a complaint with the Premier League over the transfer. Subsequently, Ferguson was less than flattering when reflecting on the negotiations.

"That whole experience was more painful than my hip replacement," he wrote in his book, Leading, highlighting the challenging nature of dealing with Levy and indirectly praising his negotiation skills.

Upon the announcement of his departure, Levy issued a heartfelt statement: "I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees.

"We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level. More than that, we have built a community," he added.

"I was fortunate enough to work with some of the greatest people in this sport, from the team at Lilywhite House and Hotspur Way to all the players and managers over the years.

"I wish to thank all the fans that have supported me over the years. It hasn't always been an easy journey but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately."

Berbatov was Ferguson's record buy and enjoyed a successful four years under the Scot's management. He registered 56 goals and 27 assists in 149 games for the Red Devils.

He departed for Fulham in 2012 with a considerably bolstered silverware collection. He'd picked up medals for two Premier League triumphs, two League Cups, two Community Shields and a Club World Cup.

Captain leading by example

There has been a determination from the squad to make up for last season, led by Bernardo Silva who will not tolerate any drop in standards.

That will be welcomed, but there are no guarantees that it will translate into winning returns on the pitch.

Nevertheless, City were keen on making their mark at Wolves last week and there will be a similar mentality today for the first home game of the season

Ederson uncertainty

Pep Guardiola admitted doubts over Ederson's future at Manchester City as he refused to confirm he would start against Tottenham.

Ederson has been City's No.1 for eight years but interest from Galatasaray in signing him this summer has intensified over the last fortnight.

Guardiola insisted that Ederson would start the Premier League opener against Wolves last weekend, only for the Brazilian to be struck down with gastroenteritis in the minutes between that claim and City getting on the bus to travel to Molineux.

James Trafford played instead, and impressed with a clean sheet on his debut for the club he has re-joined after two years at Burnley.

Ederson has trained all week and is available to start against Spurs on Saturday. However, a week on Guardiola was unwilling to make the same promise that his No.1 would be playing as long as he was fit.

Here's what the boss had to say

Squad uncertainty

Two players will need to drop out of the squad if Rodri and Phil Foden are to come into it, and with no injuries it will be interesting to see who that is.

Manu Akanji and Ilkay Gundogan are the two who have been most spoken about in terms of an exit this transfer window but there are no guarantees and lots of uncertainty across the group heading into the final days of the window.

Guardiola wants a smaller squad and can make clear who he thinks is currently on the outside of it today.

Transfer thinking

With a little over a week of the transfer window to go, there remains a sense that plates are being spun within Manchester City, with the possibility that one crashing to the floor could yet set off a chain reaction.

There is clearly a need to trim this squad, as Pep Guardiola has made clear all summer and with more force the closer we get to September 1. According to the City boss, the squad is "too big" and "unhealthy."

So, it was inevitable that Friday's press conference would focus heavily on transfer activity as another week passes without a permanent departure, despite speculation surrounding the futures of Ederson, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Ilkay Gundogan, and Savinho.

Guardiola played a pretty straight bat to questions about potential exits, but in many ways, his answer also revealed the situation City find themselves in heading into the final days of August.

Read more here

Early team news

City welcome back Rodri and Phil Foden to their matchday squad for the visit of Tottenham.

The pair were absent for the opening day win at Molineux but are back in the fold for the clash with Spurs on Saturday lunchtime.

Whether they return to the XI remains to be seen after City sauntered to a 4-0 opening day victory over Wolves.

Ederson, who is the subject of transfer interest, is also available but James Trafford gave an accomplished display on debut and seems set to continue in goal.

Guessing the XI is no easy task at the moment but here's our predicted City team

All change at the Etihad

City fans will return to several changes when they step foot in the Etihad Stadium this lunchtime.

Even before a ball is kicked there will be differences. Extensive work has been going on all summer with the North Stand expansion, predominantly the removal of the old roof and adding a new one to create a single tier for the 7,000 new seats together with what used to be the top section.

A new screen has been added in the south-east corner of the ground that will predominantly be to the benefit of North Stand goers while there have also been improvements to the concourses in that stand.

Have a look at what to expect here

Injury update

Rodri and Phil Foden are ready to feature today after missing City's opening game of the Premier League campaign. The pair were sat in the stands for the 4-0 win at Molineux after a disrupted pre-season.

Rodri was out for six weeks after the Club World Cup with a groin injury picked up against Al Hilal, and has only started to train again with the squad in the last few weeks. Foden had looked sharp in pre-season but picked up a knock on his ankle before the pre-season game at Palermo this month and didn't travel with the squad for that win in Sicily.

If those returns will boost City - and put more pressure on the squad with competition for places with two needing to be left out if Foden and Rodri return - the Blues will still be without four players for their first Premier League home game.

Savinho is still described as injured amid transfer interest from Spurs, Mateo Kovacic is out until October after his Achilles surgery, Marcus Bettinelli picked up an injury in pre-season and Josko Gvardiol remains out. The Croatian had been seen training this week but it is still too early for him to come back.

Read more here

Welcome along

Good morning, good morning.

It's the first Premier League home game of the season with Spurs the visit to the Etihad.

Both teams enjoyed comfortable opening day wins so something has to give this lunchtime as City return to home soil.

It promises to be a cracker of a contest with plenty of intrigue surrounding both clubs with each going through something of a rebuild.

We make City the favourites but, like many a Blue, we're wary of Spurs given the recent history between these two sides. (No mention of this fixture last season please).

Anyway, stick with us for all the build-up, action, reaction and analysis right here.

What better way to kick off your weekend eh?

A number of pundits have offered their predictions ahead of Man City vs Tottenham

Manchester City will look to build on their opening weekend win away at Wolves when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium in their first home match of the Premier League campaign.

City were excellent last weekend as they ran out 4-0 winners at Molineux thanks to a brace from Erling Haaland and goals from new signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki.

They now take on Thomas Frank's side, who were also comfortable winners last weekend as they beat newly promoted Burnley 3-0 in North London.

A number of pundits have offered their predictions ahead of the game and we have rounded them up below.

Chris Sutton

The former Blackburn and Celtic forward told BBC Sport: "Manchester City really impressed me last week and everyone is rightly talking about Tijjani Reijnders.

"Statman Dave told me to get him into my fantasy team, I didn't take that advice and I should've done. He was brilliant against Wolves.

"I do think Tottenham will be a level above under Thomas Frank. It'll be interesting how they set up. They played a back three in the Super Cup final against Paris St-Germain.

"Cristian Romero has signed a new contract for Tottenham, that's a big deal. But how did they not get a deal for Eberechi Eze over the line? It had been going on for weeks and now Arsenal have come in and embarrassed them!

"Tottenham are still a few players short from properly challenging the really big teams and in this game I think City at home will be too strong for them."

Sutton's prediction: Man City 2-1 Tottenham

Harry Redknapp

The former Tottenham boss told football betting site BetVictor: "What a game this could be, two sides that really started in style. I thought City were outstanding away to Wolves, I was very impressed. They were full of energy, and they were so slick, it could have been more.

"I thought Reijnders was just magnificent at Molineux. If he can keep form up, he’ll be the signing of the season. I’m very intrigued to see him here.

"Thomas Frank has started well as Spurs boss, they looked good against Burnley last week. They definitely seem organised, but I worry about them going forward, they look light in the attacking areas.

"I think they’ll definitely be goals in this one, but I’m going for City."

Redknapp's prediction: Man City 3-1 Tottenham

Paul Merson

The Sky Sports pundit told Sportskeeda: "This is the first real test of the new season for Manchester City and Tottenham. I remember Spurs went to the Etihad last season and destroyed City. A lot has changed at both clubs since then, and this game will be a good watch.

"I still think Tottenham are a work in progress. You can't get carried away by the win against Burnley. I don't see them getting well beaten by City though, that's not happening under Thomas Frank. Spurs will be disappointed about losing Eberechi Eze to Arsenal. Now they have to go put all their eggs in some other basket.

"Erling Haaland looked sharp in the win over Wolves and as long as he's fit, City will always be in the title race. But I don't fancy the wingers at Pep Guardiola's disposal. I'm not a big fan of Jeremy Doku. I just think he does not make things happen often enough. When Phil Foden is ready, I expect him to come back into the team and City's front three will look a lot stronger.

"I'm not as bullish as I was with my predictions in the past about this fixture. Frank will go there with a plan to stop City. I'm still backing Manchester City to win, but Spurs could have their moments."