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Manchester United's co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has agreed to pay Tottenham more than £11million to settle a lawsuit that involved his INEOS company

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's firm Ineos have reportedly coughed up more than £11million to Tottenham to settle a legal dispute quickly.

The Manchester United co-owner's business faced accusations of breaking a five-year minimum deal worth £17.5m that allowed Spurs to showcase the company's Grenadier as their "official 4X4 vehicle partner."

The agreement was reportedly signed in 2022, though Ineos had been working with Tottenham since becoming their "official hand-sanitiser supplier" during the Covid pandemic. Spurs axed their partnership with Ratcliffe's company in March before launching court proceedings three months down the line.

The north London club claimed a £5m-plus yearly payment wasn't paid up on December 1, after an inflation-linked sum of roughly £500,000 had also allegedly gone unpaid.

The Telegraph reports the total settlement amount remains under wraps, but an insider revealed the final figure was approximately half of what Tottenham had been chasing. Furthermore, Spurs had been seeking nearly £5.3m in compensation when the contract was scrapped with over two years remaining.

Ineos hit back by launching their own counter-claim against Spurs for more than £1m. They alleged the north Londoners had engaged in sponsorship talks with Audi, which were connected to Harry Kane's transfer to Bayern Munich.

In their counterclaim, Ineos stated: "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 claimed the commercial partnership had "not materialised", leading to Spurs and Ineos agreeing they "could terminate the agreement with effect from the end of year three of the contract term."

They asserted: "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 acknowledged they'd held commercial discussions with Audi, but firmly rejected suggestions these talks entitled Ineos to pull the plug on their partnership, given that no agreement was ever struck with the German automotive giant.

Tottenham maintain their contract 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 confirmed they'll be pursuing interest and "further or other relief as the court thinks fit".

At the time, an Ineos spokesperson declared: "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 has been axing partnerships with numerous high-profile sports teams they'd previously backed. They've already pulled out of deals with Ben Ainslie's sailing squad and the New Zealand All Blacks rugby union side.

In February, the Telegraph revealed the All Blacks were also pursuing legal action, alleging their contract, which was meant to run until 2027, was terminated prematurely despite having a binding agreement.

Ineos has argued they've been compelled to slash costs due to "extreme" green carbon taxes across Europe. Ratcliffe also attributed the closure of their synthetic ethanol plant in Grangemouth, Scotland, which resulted in the loss of 80 direct roles and an additional 500 indirect jobs, to escalating energy prices and taxes.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani was one of the frontrunners to purchase Manchester United when the Glazers opened themselves up to offers but could now turn his attention to Tottenham

Manchester United fans' dreams of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani taking the reins of the club may have been dealt a blow following recent developments at Tottenham.

Spurs dropped the bombshell this week that their chairman of 25 years, Daniel Levy, had parted ways with the club. This news sent shockwaves through the football world given Levy's deep affection for the north London club and his previous insistence that he wouldn't step down.

Rumours are swirling that Levy was nudged out by the owners, the ENIC Group, as they aim to elevate Spurs to new heights. Despite Tottenham's statement insisting that this decision won't lead to a takeover, speculation is rampant that the owners will sell up sooner rather than later.

Newcastle's former owner Amanda Staveley has previously shown interest in investing in Spurs, as has Sheikh Jassim. The Qatari banker was a leading contender to buy United when the Glazers were open to offers.

Sheikh Jassim's plan was for a full takeover, but it quickly became apparent that the Glazers were only interested in selling a minority stake in the club. While this wasn't something the Sheikh was willing to consider, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos agreed, leading to the current structure of the club, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Not long after, the banker was linked with a move to Spurs amid whispers that an opportunity could arise to buy them. However, there's still a long road ahead before any deal could be finalised.

Ratcliffe and Ineos seem dedicated to the long-haul project at United, which might lead Sheikh Jassim to believe that a move for Tottenham could be a swifter route into the Premier League's top tier.

Levy's departure adds an unexpected turn to the narrative, as it's evident that Spurs are currently undergoing a boardroom transition.

Whether this increases or decreases the likelihood of an imminent full takeover is yet to be determined. However, as it stands, it appears more probable that Sheikh Jassim will acquire Spurs rather than the Reds.

Tottenham captain Son Heung-Min dropped a double 'F bomb' as he addressed tens of thousands of Spurs fans that had lined the streets of North London to welcome an open-top bus parade to celebrate their Europa League win.

The South Korean skipper had led the celebrations by carrying the trophy on board the as the squad travelled from Edmonton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium amid a carnival atmosphere from jubilant fans.

And as he spoke on a stage erected outside the stadium to the supporters gathered on the Tottenham High Road, surrounded by his teammates and manger Ange Postecoglou, he reminded fans he had "heard them for 10 years".

He said "you guys been saying from day one until now" that they wanted a trophy. Then he didn't hold back telling the crowd: "I f****** love you, we f******won the Europa League and you all deserve it".

An estimated 150,000 people gathered along the victory route to welcome their heroes, many waving flags, some lighting blue and white flares and others climbing on traffic lights and lamp posts.

Ange Postecoglou — who said earlier in the season that he 'always wins a trophy in his second season' at a club — was vindicated when his side defeated Manchester United in Bilbao on Wednesday to lift Spurs's first trophy since 2008. Brennan Johnson scored the only goal of a drab game to claim the club's first European honour in 41 years.

And Aussie Ange, whose faces much speculation over his future, dropped a huge hint that he might be staying on next year, telling the crowd: "I told them, I told them, I told them and they laughed. I told them, I told them, I told them and they didn't believe. But here we are.

"And I'll tell you something, I'll leave you with this: All the best television series, season three is better than season two."