Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani were direct competitors for a year as they battled it out to gain a minority stake in Manchester United.

During the process, the Qatari businessman and British billionaire kept their cards close to their chests. Neither man was willing to acknowledge their opponent and both focused on their personal deals.

Once it was finalised on Christmas Eve that Ratcliffe had won the race to invest in United, he wasted little time in the New Year to go on the attack. "Still nobody's ever seen him, actually," the INEOS founder joked in February.

"The Glazers never met him. He never... I'm not sure he exists! I think it's extraordinary, really. But I agree with that - it was confounding."

He then claimed that Sheikh Jassim had also never shown proof of funds for his purchase which would ultimately end their approach for the club. "I didn't ever meet them. But it was a very odd affair," Ratcliffe concluded as he basked in his triumph.

While the 71-year-old was keen to distance his bid from being in the same ballpark as the Middle East investment, it appears he now wants to enact one of Sheikh Jassim's better ideas. In a bid to gain approval from supporters and reignite the connection from the boardroom to the terraces, it was suggested the Qatari businessman wanted to bring a host of fan favourites back to the club.

Many ex-players have been cut adrift during the Glazers' ownership with the likes of Gary Neville rarely working with the club due to their criticism of the American family. But Ratcliffe is now implementing that vision.

Neville has already been welcomed back into the fold as he joined the Old Trafford taskforce which will focus on the stadium's regeneration. There are now reports that former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has been offered a job on Erik ten Hag's coaching staff despite him looking destined to be employed by Burnley.

Some may call it cynical to bring back former players but for United's fans, it is a welcome return to a practice which had become lost. It may have been a Sheikh Jassim idea, but it goes to show that Ratcliffe is eager to implement any strategy which could benefit the club moving forwards.