In February Sir Jim purchased a 27.7% stake in Manchester United from the Glazers, an American family who bought the football club in 2005. Unusually this minority share, which cost around $1.6bn, gave Sir Jim control over sporting operations.

Manchester United co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer were videoed arriving at Old Trafford earlier by an eagle-eyed supporter. Club sources say the meetings were pre-planned, with Glazer meeting the Fans' Advisory Board.

Ainslie’s partnership with Ratcliffe has led a Great Britain team to the America’s Cup for the first time in 60 years.

Manchester United's leading lights were all present at a meeting earlier this week with talk of change in the dugout but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has, so far, stuck by Erik ten Hag

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come under fire for one of the bigger footballing decisions he has had to make to date

Sir Jim Ratcliffe requested Manchester United’s executive team put forward “forensic cases for all potential scenarios” over Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford during this week’s board

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly still planning as normal for the club’s next game against Brentford in the Premier League, despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer holding a six-hour meeting in London on Tuesday.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is under pressure to make a decision on Erik ten Hag's future and he could have been having the same propblems at Chelsea