'End this CIRCUS' - Man Utd legend DEMANDS Glazers to leave club

Stuart Telford

• 27 Jun 2023 14:12 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United legend Patrice Evra has called on the Glazer family to 'end this circus' in regards to their potential sale of the club to Sheikh Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The Glazers have been in control at Old Trafford since 2005, following the heavily debt-leveraged takeover of the family's patriarch Malcolm, which valued the club at £800 million.

The Glazers' reign has never been popular, but with no Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson's last in 2013, fan frustration has escalated.

READ: Man Utd takeover: Sheikh Jassim tipped to make THREE sackings

The current owners first invited bids for the club in November 2022, and it is understood that Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Ratcliffe, once the UK's richest man, have both lodged bids worth at least £5 billion.

Evra: '20 miles back from Man City'

But the Glazer family remain in situ, with neither bid yet accepted, and now Evra, a five-time Premier League winner who lifted the Champions League with United in 2008, has spoken out.

"We talk about this deal for how many months now? Since November. I think it is important for the fans, for the players and of course for Erik ten Hag. He is the right man," the former France left-back told The Times.

READ: The TWELVE players Man Utd will DUMP in mass summer clear-out

"We don't know who is going to be the new owner. We are already 20 miles back from Manchester City.

"Now, the question is: Can we stop this circus and find a solution and the owner come as soon as possible? We need to find it now, before the season starts. When the season starts, it is already too late."

"Noisy neighbours" Man City have now won five of the last six Premier League titles. United have finished as runners-up on two of those occasions - in 2018 and 2021 - and were third last term under Erik ten Hag.