Man Utd takeover news: Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘agrees deal’ before Erik ten Hag press conference

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is to commit up to £245m to improve Manchester United’s infrastructure as part of his agreement to purchase a 25 per cent stake of the club, according to Sky News.

Ratcliffe and Ineos are in line to buy an initial 25 per cent stake in Manchester United, with the decision set to confirmed in the next two weeks, The Independent reported last month. The billionaire petrochemicals mogul wants this to be a “path to a majority”, according to involved figures, and will already be seeking influence on football decisions.

Ratcliffe’s decision to go for a 25 per cent minority stake, valued at around £1.3bn, is also set to see the Ineos owner invest a significant sum into fixing-up Old Trafford, which has been hit by problems in recent seasons, such as a leaky roof, and was overlooked as a host venue for Euro 2028.

The midfielder, who has not completed 90 minutes since September, is set to be ruled out for the rest of the month:

• vs Fulham (A) – 4/11
• vs Copenhagen (A) – 8/11
• vs Luton (H) – 11/11
• vs Everton (A) – 26/11
• vs Galatasaray (A) – 29/11
• vs Newcastle (A) – 2/12

On potential investment from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and going back to the transfer market: “I have a good squad. I’m convinced about the players in the dressing room. We saw these players last year, they can do a lot better, but that’s up to me to let them play better. I have to take the responsibility to make them play better and I will put every effort in to get this done. I’m not thinking about transfer windows because I have a good squad.”

On the mood in the dressing room: “The players are positive. They want to put this right. The dressing room is strong. The manager is strong. We want to put this right.”

On whether Fulham is a must-win: “I don’t want to think like that. Every game is must-win. I’m sure the players will be ready. I’m convinced by the players”.

On team news ahead of Fulham: “Varane is ready to play. He will travel with the squad. Victor Lindelof has an illness, we will have to see if he is ready to travel tomorrow.”

On whether the team is lacking fight: “Remember the fight we saw against Brentford. If there wasn’t spirit, if there wasn’t characters in the dressing room, you wouldn’t see that [comeback].

On his team’s style of play: “I came here with my philosophy, which is to play possession, but I wanted to combine it with the history and tradition of Manchester United. Last year we saw that, we played good football. This season has been harder. There have been so many changes. We miss often players in the back four. That doesn’t help your routines.

“But I don’t want to make excuses. We have to win. I don’t want to walk away from that.”

Erik ten Hag faces the media this afternoon ahead of ahead of the club’s trip to Fulham

We’ll bring you what the Manchester United manager says on Casemiro’s injury, the team’s form, and how he can turn the club’s season around.

Scott McTominay has urged Manchester United to “stick together” after their worst start to a season since 1962:

“Everyone knows that we’re not in our best period at the minute. We have to stick together, that’s the most important thing.

“Obviously the fans will hear the generic response of ‘we’ve got to stick together’, but it’s true.

“Everyone wants this football club to succeed and we have to pull together and try to be as good with each other as possible in the dressing room to get those results going our way.

“I feel like we’ve got more than enough talent in the changing room to do that and whenever you look at the boys who are playing, but obviously something isn’t quite clicking.

“That’s up to the manager and the players to fix that and I’m 100 per cent confident that we will.”

• Manchester United have lost five of their opening 10 Premier League matches – their most at the start of a league campaign since 1986-87.
• Defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup then made it eighth defeats in 15 matches in all competitions, making it their worst start to a season since 1962-63.

Erik ten Hag’s rallying cry: “I am a fighter and I know it is not always going up. We have a lot of setbacks this season so far, but also you have to deal with it and that is never an excuse.

“I have said that before I know when there are setbacks the routines are not the same, but even then you have to get results in. Obviously, Sunday and tonight were far from that so we have to do things right and at a certain level, at the minimum level to win games.

“I understand it when the results are not there. It is also a logical process that they are questioning that. But I am confident I can do it. At all my clubs I have done it and also last year here I did it as well, but at this moment we are in a bad place.

“I take responsibility for it. I see it as a challenge. I am a fighter and I am in that fight and I have to make sure that I share the responsibility with my players and that we stick together and fight together, and get better results.

“It is below the standards everyone expect from Manchester United. It is not good enough by far. We have to put it right. I take responsibility for it. It is my team and they are not performing. I have to share it with my players, but I am responsible.”

Casemiro has been ruled out for several weeks with a hamstring injury that has added to Manchester United’s problems, Richard Jolly reports.

The Brazilian was hurt in the first half of Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to Newcastle, which came after he missed United’s three previous matches with an ankle problem.

He is now set to miss the rest of United’s November – when they face Fulham, FC Copenhagen, Luton, Everton and Galatasaray.

The 31-year-old, who has not played the full 90 minutes in a match for United since September, could be in a race against time for potentially tough games at the start of December, when United face Newcastle and Chelsea before Bournemouth, Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

His absence means loan signing Sofyan Amrabat could get an extended run as Erik ten Hag’s defensive midfielder.