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Manchester United’s owners, the Glazer family, could reportedly take the club off the market in order to remain in charge at Old Trafford.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim have both made bids for the club and are expected in the north-west over the next week to hold talks with the Raine Group, who are overseeing the process of ‘selling’ the club.
However, the Glazer family are said to be split on whether to commit to a full sale of the club.
That’s down to the fact that two of the six siblings feel emotionally attached to the club and feel that it’s worth far more than the £4.5bn on offer from Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim.
The Americans put the club on the market due to the fact that profits have dried up at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils in need of around £2bn of investment to renovate the stadium and training ground, as well as investing in the first team squad.
Evening StandardThey therefore understand the need to bring in investment and the Sun say the Glazers will listen to offers from US hedge funds to raise capital.
It’s said four hedge funds are being considered and the Glazers could create a ‘new company’ to ‘push the club’s merchandising and digital commercial operation’.
It would essentially see the Glazers’ being bought out but able to still rake in cash from the club, which has been the goal from 2005.
It comes despite the fact that Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim were passed through to ’round two’ of the process.
Here, the bidders will speak to the club to get a better picture of the day-to-day costs of running United.
The data will help the pair finalise their final offer for the club, with the Glazers hoping it sparks a bidding war.
Source:Metro