Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsford (Picture: Getty)

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is confident that his takeover bid for Manchester United will be successful as the billionaire prepares to form a world-leading team at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe, Britain’s richest man, is in direct competition with a bid from Qatar to take charge of United from the Glazer family.

The bid from Sheikh Jassim is worth more than Ratcliffe’s offer, while the Brit is only seeking to take the Glazers’ working majority of the club rather than purchasing full ownership.

That’s put the bid from Qatar in the lead but the Times claim Ratcliffe is confident he will eventually succeed in taking over United.

Ratcliffe’s positioned himself as a bidder that could get supporters back on side after 17 years of Glazer ownership.

Ratcliffe’s offer is worth less than Sheikh Jassim (Photo credit should read DIRK WAEM/AFP via Getty Images)

The Oldham-born billionaire has vowed to put the ‘United’ back in ‘Manchester United’ and there’s clamour for a Mancunian to own the club again.

But Ratcliffe’s preparation for taking charge is already well underway, with the billionaire in talks with Dave Brailsford to form a ‘world-leading’ team at the Theatre of Dreams.

Brailsford’s ‘marginal gains’ mantra – whereby small improvements are made across the board to make an overall greater impact – has proven successful in other sports such as cycling and sailing.

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United have fallen behind their competitors, both in terms of infrastructure and personnel.

Brailsford has been charged with putting together the ‘best in class’ in all areas, in order to restore United to Ratcliffe’s vision of being the best in the world.

Ratcliffe is due to meet with United this week to get a better picture of the club’s finances, in a move that is designed to increase the offer for the club.

The Glazers want north of £5bn for the club, but Ratcliffe and Jassim have both offered below £4.5bn.

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It’s an approach that’s worked before.