Ratcliffe is pictured at Old Trafford for the first time since £1.3bn investment

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been pictured at Manchester United for the first time since his £1.3billion investment in the Premier League giants.

It was confirmed on Christmas Eve that Ratcliffe's 25 per cent purchase of Manchester United had been successful, with the British billionaire set to take control of football operations.

As Mail Sport revealed, Ratcliffe held meetings at Old Trafford on Tuesday morning after arriving at the stadium from the airport where his private jet was pictured.

Now, pictures have emerged of the INEOS chief at United for the very first time as he prepares to oversee the football operations at the club.

The 71-year-old was spotted walking, alongside a security guard, through the rain before walking through the main entrance at Old Trafford.

According to The Sun, when asked about the weather conditions, Ratcliffe responded: 'I’ll have to get used to it!'.

The outlet further claim that Ratcliffe, on Tuesday, met with United's interim CEO Patrick Stewart and Chief Operating Officer Collette Roche.

They report that the British billionaire spent two hours chatting with executives at Old Trafford before leaving.

Mail Sport understands the 71-year-old is in town for a few days and will meet Erik ten Hag and the players at Carrington later in the week.

The squad have been given the day off but are due back in on Wednesday.

Ratcliffe’s arrival follows a visit from his Ineos sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford who met Ten Hag and staff at Carrington on Sunday, when he was given a guided tour of the complex by United’s interim chief executive Stewart and football director John Murtough.

Although Ineos can’t have an active role in the running of United until Ratcliffe’s acquisition of 25 per cent of the club is ratified in February, his visit is seen as the start of a ‘looking, learning and listening’ exercise to help them get up to speed with operations.

Sources say meetings will continue at Old Trafford and Carrington throughout the transition phase until the deal is completed when Ratcliffe passes the Premier League’s fit and proper person test and his acquisition of Class-A shares is approved by the New York Stock Exchange.

Insiders insist this is a positive process which sees United’s leadership welcoming Ineos to the club and establishing a partnership that will continue after the deal is completed.

Although Ineos chief executive Jean-Claude Blanc is expected to take over as United CEO and Brailsford wants to appoint a new football director, Stewart and Murtough are expected to have roles in the new set-up.