Yankee Tycoon Tops Up United Shares – But Relax Lads, No Ratcliffe Rival in Sight!

Alright, pull up a stool, pint in hand – we've got some proper Manchester United intrigue bubbling away at Old Trafford. First off, American billionaire Leon Cooperman, the 82-year-old hedge fund wizard behind Omega Advisors, has been splashing the cash on more Red Devils shares. He's bumped his holding up to a hefty 2.9 million Class A shares, which works out at about 5.2% of those beauties. At current prices, that's north of £36 million – pocket change for a bloke worth over £2.6 billion, mind you.

Cooperman first dipped his toes in late 2023, right around the time Sir Jim Ratcliffe was sealing his big-money deal to become co-owner. According to reports in The Independent, he's recently snapped up shares from a British investment outfit. But fear not, United fans clutching your scarves in the stands – this isn't some stealth takeover brewing. Cooperman's not eyeing the driver's seat; he's just a savvy investor parking some dosh where he fancies the returns.

Now, let's break down the share shenanigans for the uninitiated. Class A shares are the pleb version – one vote each – while the Glazers' Class B super-shares pack a whopping 10 votes apiece. The American family still lords it over 67% of the voting power, with Ratcliffe holding about 28%. The Glazers keep their mitts on the corporate and commercial sides, like flogging shirts and stadium naming rights, while Ratcliffe's INEOS crew calls the shots on football matters: transfers, tactics, the lot.

Speaking of the Glazers, the fans aren't exactly rolling out the red carpet. Protests have been flaring up, with the 1958 Group planning a demo before the Fulham clash in early February. They reckon the club's turned into a 'laughing stock', and even Ratcliffe's getting stick for being 'complicit' in the mess. Fair play to the supporters – after years of debt-loading and underachievement, Old Trafford's faithful have had a bellyful.

But oh, Sir Jim – you've been proper shooting yourself in the foot this week. In a Sky News chinwag, he dropped a bombshell, claiming the UK has been 'colonised by immigrants' and spouting dodgy stats about the population jumping from 58 million to 70 million in a few years. 'You can't have an economy with nine million on benefits and huge immigration,' he fumed. Cue uproar: Prime Minister Keir Starmer piped up that Britain is 'proud, tolerant and diverse' and demanded an apology. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Kick It Out joined the chorus. Ratcliffe mumbled a sorry for his 'choice of language', but then cheekily doubled down. PR nightmare? You bet – just what United needed amid the share-buying buzz.

Right, enough off-pitch drama – let's talk footy, the bit we all care about. After sacking Ruben Amorim, United turned to former midfielder Michael Carrick as interim gaffer till season's end. Blimey, what a shout that's been! Four wins and a draw in their last five Premier League outings have rocketed them to fourth spot. Champions League qualification? Suddenly on the cards, despite a ropey start to the campaign.

Carrick's lads face a gritty test next, though. Monday night sees them trek to Merseyside to tangle with Everton, who are lurking in eighth. Then it's a festive run-in: Crystal Palace at home, Newcastle away, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth before the March international circus. Win those, and the top four dream stays alive; fluff them, and it's back to the Europa League scrap.

So, there you have it – Cooperman's quiet share grab, Ratcliffe's foot-in-mouth, fan fury, and a Carrick revival on the pitch. United's never dull, is it? Grab another round; we'll see how Monday pans out.