Who are some possible suitors to purchase Manchester United?
The Glazer family, who owns Manchester United, are mulling over “strategic alternatives,” one of which involves selling the club. Here are some potential suitors for the Old Trafford club, should the Glazers decide to go through with the sale:
A Ratcliffe, Jim
Longtime supporter and British billionaire Ratcliffe expressed interest in the 20-time English champions in August but claims the Glazer family told him the Premier League club was not for sale when he contacted them two months later.
Earlier this year, he’d also tried and failed to acquire Chelsea Football Club of London, which was eventually purchased by a group of investors led by American Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Numerous United supporters have expressed interest in Ratcliffe taking over the club, despite concerns that he may be priced out due to the estimated value of the team at more than $4.5 billion.
Ratcliffe’s chemical company INEOS has remained silent on the matter.
David Beckham is a member of the group.
According to the Financial Times, David Beckham, a former England captain and current United midfielder, is willing to meet with interested parties to increase their chances of purchasing the club.
The former Real Madrid and LA Galaxy player has had a rocky road as co-owner of the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.
Beckham’s long history with the club and his status as a fan favorite at Old Trafford stem from his role in United’s 1998–1999 treble-winning season under manager Alex Ferguson.
Assaulting in Red Knights
A group called the Red Knights, which included ex-EFL chair Keith Harris, ex-Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill, and British investor Paul Marshall, put their plan to buy the club on hold in 2010 due to “speculation in the media of inflated valuation aspirations.”
After the club’s plans from last year to be part of a European Super League, which ultimately fell through, were met with widespread criticism, O’Neill and Marshall wrote to United co-chairman Joel Glazer last year seeking immediate corporate governance reforms.
On November 23, the Manchester Evening News reported that O’Neill may consider pursuing a takeover if the Glazers reduce their current “unrealistic” demands.
Asked by the BBC if he needed to raise four billion pounds to buy United, O’Neill said: “I’m not sure if it’ll necessarily be that much, but let’s see.”
Middle Eastern investors United’s local rivals Manchester City are bankrolled by the Abu Dhabi United Group, while Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund completed a controversial 300 million pound buyout of Newcastle United in 2021.
Paris St Germain is owned by Qatar Sports Investments and rumours have swirled that investors from another Gulf country may be keen on buying United, with a report in the Arabian Business saying Dubai investors could be interested.
Elon Musk
Musk, the world’s richest person, briefly lifted the gloom over United’s shares and lifted fans’ hopes in August by tweeting that he was buying the club — only to clarify a little later it was all part of “a long-running joke”.
Some of the club’s fans had previously urged Musk on Twitter to consider buying the club, complaining at what they see as under-investment by the Glazers.
Apple
The Daily Star reported on Thursday that tech giant Apple – which has no experience of owning a soccer club the size of United – was interested in buying the club in a move that would make United the richest club in the world.
ZARA founder Amancio Ortega
The Manchester Evening News reported that Spanish businessman Amancio Ortega, who founded the fashion chain Zara and is worth $61.3 billion according to a Forbes estimate, had told senior executives of his interest in United.
