da brdice： It's no secret that Manchester United fans are unhappy with their current owners, the Glazer family. The fanbase have shown their displeasure on several occasions, and looked likely to finally get their wish of a sale when the club was put on the market last November. Yet, almost a year later, the Glazers are still at the helm, searching for a solution.
da pinnacle： Meanwhile, on the pitch, things haven't been going much better for United, with Erik ten Hag's side losing four of their first eight Premier League games, as well as their recent Champions League clash against Galatasaray. And after hearing an update over a potential takeover, Sky Sports' Kieran Maguire has reacted.
Man Utd takeover news…
The talks over a potential takeover at Manchester United remain ongoing, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe still at the centre of those discussions. Football Insider provided a Man Utd takeover update in the week, saying that Ratcliffe's latest offer for the club would see him take majority control of the club in 2026. He would initially take a minority stake in the club, leaving the Glazers at the helm, before increasing his share in three years to eventually take control at Old Trafford. Reacting to the Man Utd takeover news, finance expert Maguire said to Football Insider that it "appears to be the worst of both worlds for fans".
"The part acquisition of Man United by INEOS to a certain extent appears to be the worst of both worlds for fans. The Glazers get immediate cash which makes them happy and Sir Jim Ratcliffe only gets 25 per cent of the club so he can’t control any decision-making. Man United would still have the spectre of the Glazers still haunting the club for another three years. So it is difficult to see why this approach would be taken. It would make much more sense for all parties involved if there was a clean break. However, whether that is through INEOS or Sheikh Jassim is still yet to be decided.“
Who is Sir Jim Ratcliffe?
Receiving his knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2018, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the chairman and CEO of chemicals company INEOS, and has a reported net worth of £6 billion earlier this year. With that said, it's clear that United would be in a position to splash the cash if he completed a takeover of the Manchester club.
As things stand, though, the Glazer family remain at the helm at Old Trafford, much to the frustration of Manchester United fans, who were initially handed hope when the club was put up for sale in November. If Ratcliffe buys a minority state, that frustration may grow even more, too, as Maguire alludes to, given that fans could have to deal with the Glazers for another three years.
Whilst things edge closer to a crisis point on the pitch under Ten Hag, who must guide his side back into top form, any takeover talk isn't exactly leaning towards the positive direction, making the current campaign a miserable one for all associated with the Red Devils so far.