Man Utd takeover: Glazers' SHOCK U-turn

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 3 Sept 2023 17:16 BST
• 3 min read

The Glazer family have taken Manchester United OFF the market as they look to achieve £10 billion with the club's sale, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The news was broken exclusively by Nick Harris and Alex Miller, who report that the Glazers were left unsatisfied with the £6bn bids that came from Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and think they can get more later.

"The Glazers are going to take Manchester United off the market, having failed to get close to their anticipated asking price, according to a source with long-standing close ties to the American family," Harris and Miller write.

READ: Man Utd group take Deadline Day action amid takeover saga

"'The Glazers are thick-skinned and won't be influenced by any negative fan reactions,' said the source, adding the family's original plan was to attract multiple serious bidders, and that didn't materialise."

Surprise decision

Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe will feel that their bids were serious. The former's came with a separate fund to rejuvenate Old Trafford and the surrounding area, while the latter was prepared to fold the family on an ongoing basis despite the significant outlay.

The Glazers first start inviting bids for Manchester United last November, and the sale process was initially expected to be completed ahead of the 2023 summer transfer window.

READ: Man Utd Transfer News: Amrabat SIGNED, TWO could still LEAVE, Greenwood's SHOCK LaLiga move

That's never came to pass, although the Red Devils were active in the transfer market, brining Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Sofyan Amrabat and Altay Bayindir to the club for a combined £177 million.

The Glazers reportedly feel they can get up to £10bn for United if they sell in 2025, at which point there will be increased TV rights revenues, and expanded FIFA Club World Cup and the 'United' 2026 World Cup on the horizon, with heightened interest in the sport from US billionaires expected.

The current world record sale for a sports franchise is the Josh Harris-led $6.05bn (£4.81bn) takeover of the NFL's Washington Commanders in May of this year.