Rival PL club take legal action against United co-owner Ratcliffe and INEOS as tensions mount – report

Tottenham Hotspur have initiated High Court proceedings against Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company INEOS.

Tottenham lodged a commercial claim against Ratcliffe’s INEOS on Thursday, although documents are yet to become available.

However, according to Sky Sports, Tottenham’s claim is over a terminated sponsorship agreement.

INEOS entered a five-year agreement with Tottenham in 2022, before Ratcliffe completed his minority stake in United and became co-owner alongside the Glazer family.

Ratcliffe’s investment in United was ratified by the Premier League in February 2024.

The sponsorship deal was for INEOS Grenadier to become Tottenham’s official 4×4 vehicle partner.

However, INEOS pulled out of the deal in March this year, cutting ties just three years into the agreement.

Tottenham Hotspur start legal proceedings against Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS over terminated sponsorship deal. pic.twitter.com/koZZ95EGMh

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 13, 2025

INEOS said in a statement [via Manchester Evening News], “Ineos Automotive has been a partner of Tottenham Hotspur since 2022, expanding on a partnership agreement that Ineos Group had in place with the club since 2020.”

“We have a contractual right to terminate our partnership contract and in December 2024 exercised that right.”

Tottenham declined to comment when contacted for comment, according to the PA News Agency.

The North London club’s decision to sue INEOS follows the company’s recent settlement with New Zealand Rugby over a separate sponsorship agreement.

In February, NZR announced they were taking legal action against INEOS, claiming that Ratcliffe’s firm had failed to pay the first instalment of the 2025 sponsorship fee under a six-year agreement signed in 2021.

Featured image by Justin Setterfield via Getty Images

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