There is mounting speculation that Manchester United’s owners, the Glazer family, may reverse their minds and refuse to sell the club.
United have now been on the market for more than eight months, with no end in sight to the takeover process.
Qatari investor Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has made several bids for the Premier League club, with his fifth and final offering valued at about £5 billion – with an additional £1 billion in investment guaranteed.
He faces competition from British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who, unlike Sheikh Jassim, is only interested in acquiring a controlling stake of more than 50% in the club.
Raine, the American banking group conducting the sale, has yet to confirm if a proposal has been successful or even name a preferred bidder, fueling speculation that the Glazers may choose to retain a majority position in United.
Four reasons why the Glazers may be able to keep United
Matt Slater of The Athletic has now highlighted four reasons why the Glazers may refuse to sell.
To begin with, and maybe most plainly, the Glazers have yet to consent to a sale since “nobody has hit their asking price.”
According to other reports, the Americans are wanting £6 billion for United, with Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe refusing to match that sum.
It is also suggested that modifications to the Champions League and Club World Cup could persuade the Glazers to stay at Old Trafford.
“Now it is 2023, and we are one year closer to a new Champions League format in the 2024-25 season when the Premier League should get an extra place in the competition and participating clubs more games and more money,” Slater wrote.
“At the end of that season, FIFA’s new and improved Club World Cup will be held in the United States for the first time, with 12 slots reserved for European teams.”
This brings us to the fourth reason why United’s owners may be refusing to lower their asking price, with changes in domestic TV rights money on the horizon.
“Apple or one of the other tech giants might be ready to really blow things up with a mega offer for the Premier League’s media rights,” Slater continued.
“Perhaps the best course of action is to say nothing, close the curtains, and hope we all go away.”
