EXCL: How Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans to break Man Utd impasse, why it's NOT time to scrap VAR, how to fix Arsenal's Kai Havertz problem, and more

This week's deep dive into the biggest stories, featuring the latest on the Man Utd takeover

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s plan to break Man Utd impasse

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is considering whether to buy a 25% minority stake in Manchester United, as Sky News first reported.

Ratcliffe is flexible and has explored multiple structures, but this particular option won’t go down well with many Manchester United fans.

Sources close to INEOS still insist Ratcliffe eventually wants control, but taking a minority stake first may break the impasse and make getting it a more prolonged process.

A 25% stake could cost as high as £1.5bn and would involve Ratcliffe buying an equal amount of class A and B shares, which crucially would remove the risk of litigation.

Ratcliffe has always insisted he wants control and majority stake, but is prepared to be patient and ultimately is being fluid in his negotiations in order to try and win at all costs. Those close to the process have been very impressed by how INEOS have handled talks to date.