Jean-Claude Blanc joins Sir Dave Brailsford in the stands for Man United's 2-0 FA Cup win over Wigan – as Sir Jim Ratcliffe's lieutenants scrutinize the club's football operations following its partial takeover of INEOS worth of £1.3 billion

INEOS Sport CEO Jean-Claude Blanc attended his first Manchester United match on Monday evening when he joined Sir Dave Brailsford at the DW Stadium.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's trusted lieutenants were spotted in the stands alongside former United CEO David Gill, Patrick Stewart and John Murtough – the club's interim CEO and director of football respectively.

The group saw United book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup with a routine 2-0 win over their League One opponents, thanks to goals from Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes.

United and Ratcliffe announced on Christmas Eve that the British billionaire had agreed a £1.3 billion deal to acquire a minority stake in the club after thirteen months of negotiations.

The Premier League is expected to take six to eight weeks to approve the takeover, with INEOS taking charge of football operations at Old Trafford.

The INEOS executives sat alongside United's interim CEO Patrick Stewart (left) and former United CEO David Gill (second from left)

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Brailsford, who will join United's football board once INEOS' takeover of a 25 percent stake in the club is completed, has been a regular at United matches in recent weeks.

The former British Cycling performance director was at Old Trafford to watch United beat Aston Villa on Boxing Day and was present for the dismal defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground four days later.

Blanc, meanwhile, has been tipped to be installed as the club's new CEO as part of INEOS' football operations.

Dubbed 'the Lionel Messi of the sporting world' by Nice CEO Fabrice Boquet, the Frenchman has extensive experience in European football after successful spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.

He joined the Serie A giants as CEO in 2006, with the club at rock bottom after being relegated for match-fixing.

Three years later, Blanc was appointed chairman and oversaw the restoration of Juventus as the dominant force in Italian football and the delivery of the Allianz Stadium.

Opened in 2011, it was the first stadium built in Italy since 1990 and was, at the time of its inauguration, the only stadium privately owned by an Italian football club.

Blanc left Turin for Paris, where he spent 12 seasons and oversaw 28 trophies, including eight French Ligue 1 titles, before joining INEOS, where he currently oversees the company's entire sports portfolio.

United reached the fourth round of the FA Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wigan

Sir Jim Ratcliffe (left) and Brailsford (right) met Erik ten Hag (centre) last week.

Last week, Erik ten Hag described his first interaction with the Ratcliffe team as overwhelmingly positive.

“I must say very positive,” the Dutchman said about the meeting with the British billionaire.

'We spend so many hours together. We were on the same page on many issues. I can say that it was a very constructive meeting and we look forward to working together.”

Ratcliffe has been tipped to make major changes to several aspects of United's football operations, with the recruitment process expected to be a key focus.

However, Ten Hag indicated that INEOS will need time to implement their philosophy.

'They just come in and introduce themselves. They have good ideas; we have to see what we can integrate,” he said.

'We start working together in solidarity, but after one day you no longer know that. They gave me a few (ideas), we debated strategies and I think we will come together.”