"There are expected to be developments" - Journalist makes claim about the potential sale of Manchester United
Manchester United's takeover saga is expected to have some developments in the upcoming days. According to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, there will be more clarity over the situation after the Red Devils return from their pre-season tour of the US.
The Glazer family announced in November 2022 that they were open to selling the club to bring in further investment. They bought the club in 2005.
Two main suitors have emerged to take over Manchester United. The first one is Qatari investor Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani. As part of a Qatari consortium, Sheikh Jassim has staked a claim for full ownership of the team and has also promised to get rid of all the debt.
The second interested party is British billionaire and CEO of petrochemical company Ineos, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The businessman is already involved in the world of football, having bought French side OGC Nice in 2019. His bid involves buying only a majority stake and not the club outright, where two of the three from the Glazer family could still remain involved.
Manchester United will play their final game of their pre-season US Tour against Borussia Dortmund on July 31. The ownership saga might finally get resolved after they return.
David Beckham opens up on Manchester United ownership situation
Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham has voiced his thoughts on the Glazers' ownership of the club. In an interview with David Ornstein of The Athletic, the Inter Miami co-owner claimed that it was time for the Glazer family to sell the club. He believes the Glazers have lost the respect of fans.
Beckham said:
"I think so. I think it’s purely because the fans want it. Once you lose the fans, especially at a club like Manchester United, it’s hard to get them back."
He added:
"Obviously, they (the Glazers) have achieved a lot, and financially, the fact we’re even talking about the numbers of what Manchester United will sell for shows the success they’ve had. But there needs to be change. We’ve all seen that, we all know that."
The club are currently involved in a lengthy takeover saga which began in November 2022. Since then, Qatar's Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have launched bids but updates have been slow to come in recent times.
Beckham was part of some iconic squads at United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He made 394 appearances for the club, scoring 85 goals and providing 120 assists. He won numerous trophies with the club.
After leaving Old Trafford in 2003, he played for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain before hanging up his boots.