Update: Rory McIlroy’s stance on Manchester United investment amid $1bn net worth admission News

The Masters 2025 winner Rory McIlroy is a boyhood Manchester United supporter who idolised Roy Keane during his childhood

Manchester United supporter and The Masters 2025 winner Rory McIlroy has insisted that he would be interested in owning a share of his boyhood club at some stage in the future.

McIlroy accomplished his career dream last weekend as he won The Masters for the very first time and, in doing so, completed the career Grand Slam. Such an achievement has opened the door for the 35-year-old to become one of the wealthiest sports people on the planet.

Speaking on Monday to OLBG, sport finance expert Professor Rob Wilson explained that McIlroy is on course to becoming a $1bn (£759.85m) athlete. “If McIlroy continues playing competitively into his mid-to-late 40s, his on-course earnings should exceed $200m (£151.97m), assuming a continued uptick in prize purses,” Wilson explained.

“Off the course, however, endorsement and equity deals could push his total career earnings toward the $800m (£607m) range and, who knows, if he can maintain a level of winning performance, then we could be talking about a $1bn (£759.85m) athlete.” Now, McIlroy’s net worth would not be enough to buy United outright considering Sir Jim Ratcliffe spent £1.25bn to buy a 27 per cent stake in the Reds.

However, that has not stopped the Northern Irishman from previously expressing his desire to be involved financially with the Reds. “I would love to be able to own a tiny percentage of the club I grew up cheering on as a boy,” he previously told Sky Sports.

“I would have loved to have taken 0.00001 per cent of Manchester United when Jim Ratcliffe took 25 per cent. And if another opportunity comes my way I will look at it.

“But it is not something that has come across our table as of yet. There is Tom Brady at Birmingham [City] and there are a few golfers – Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas – who invested with the 49ers Group, and they own a tiny slice of Leeds.

“They asked me if I wanted to come on board, and I said as a Man United fan I cannot go anywhere near that. Sir Jim has got a great track record and everybody that does support United should be excited by the possibilities if they give him full sporting authority and decisions for the club.

“As a fan I am excited.” Since McIlroy’s interview with Sky, Ratcliffe has become a symbol of division among the United fanbase.

His decision to slash the workforce at Old Trafford was deemed incredibly unpopular. Meanwhile, his behaviour towards existing season ticket holders and matchgoers has also been criticised strongly.

Ratcliffe has been given the responsibility for the sporting project at United but results have failed to improve during a rotten season for the club.

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