Sir Alex Ferguson says he is feeling 'optimistic' about Sir Jim Ratcliffe's imminent investment in Manchester United.

The British billionaire is on the verge of securing a 25 per cent stake in United worth £1.3 billion, with confirmation anticipated within the next week or so.

Ratcliffe is poised to oversee a raft of changes as part of a strategic review of the football department and he has been holding virtual meetings with United co-chairman Joel Glazer about proposed personnel changes to the club’s structure.

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Richard Arnold is set to leave the club by the end of the year, while United are also planning to replace John Murtough as football director as part of sweeping changes to the sporting structure.

It is understood that more changes are planned behind the scenes at United, with the Ineos delegation unimpressed by other departmental strategies.

There has even been the suggestion that Ratcliffe could seek advice from United legend Ferguson once his investment in the club is ratified, and in an interview courtesy of Gambling Zone, the Scot was asked about the imminent ownership change at his former club.

"I am still a director of the club and I know Jim well," he told Gambling Zone. "We shall have to see what he does but I am optimistic."

United have won only four trophies in the past decade since Ferguson retired and there have been a handful of successful signings, despite the club investing more than £1.5 billion in transfer fees.