Rory McIlroy reveals he wants a stake in Manchester United after investing in Formula One team Alpine and claims he has no regrets over Ryder Cup car park bust up

Rory McIlroy has revealed that the sporting investment he wants most is a stake in Manchester United.

The Ryder Cup star joined Formula 1 team Alpine this week, along with former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, World Cup winner Juan Mata and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

McIlroy, part of a consortium that has invested £175 million ($212 million) for a 24 percent stake, is in Austin for the first time for the US Grand Prix as co-owner of the former Renault team.

“Ownership of sports teams used to be limited to private equity and people who had a lot of money, but now sports stars are getting smarter,” says McIlroy, who is leading Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ongoing £1.4 billion ($1.7 billion) 25-year bid has followed. percent of United with close fan interest.

‘I would have liked to have owned 0.00001 percent of Manchester United when Jim Ratcliffe bought in. If another opportunity comes my way, I’ll look at it.

The Ryder Cup star joined Formula 1 team Alpine this week and will attend the US Grand Prix

The Northern Irishman is pictured with Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly (L) and Esteban Ocon (R)

‘I would love to own a small percentage of the club I grew up with as a boy. That would be really cool. It’s not something that has hit our table yet.

“But there’s Tom Brady in Birmingham and there are few golfers – Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas – who have invested with the 49ers Group, who own a piece of Leeds. They asked me if I wanted to join and I said as a Man United fan I can’t go near that!’

McIlroy, 34, will attend as much F1 as he can, but dismissed any notion that his latest investment – his 22nd in total – will distract him from his golf. “The balance is fine,” he said.

As for his finger prick in Marco Simone’s car park in Rome on the penultimate night of the Ryder Cup, McIlroy insisted there were no hard feelings three weeks later.

Team Europe hero McIlroy brought the Ryder Cup to the paddock in Austin, Texas

‘Any regrets? Gee, no, not at all,” said Europe’s top scorer, angered by the triumphalist celebrations of Joe LaCava, Patrick Cantlay’s caddy, at the end of the fourballs.

“I felt like what happened in the parking lot got the team moving. It has benefited us. Things happen in the heat of the moment. Tensions were running high, but Joe came into the European team room on Sunday evening and had a drink and a chat.

“I’ve had a great relationship with Joe over the years and that wasn’t going to change. The incident happened. I didn’t want to meet anyone on Sunday morning because I wanted what was happening to fuel me and my focus was on making sure Europe won the Ryder Cup – before taking care of everything else afterwards.

“And it’s all fine. We’re all friends.’