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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Matthew Hobkinson

'Cannot believe!' — Manchester United fans sceptical after Michael Knighton's takeover comments

Manchester United fans have reacted cynically to the news that the club's former director Michael Knighton is planning to submit a formal bid to buy the club from the Glazer family.

The pressure is mounting on the Glazers to sell the club that has been in a steady decline since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson nine years ago. Thousands of fans staged a protest ahead of their opening day defeat to Brighton as supporters grew in such numbers that they forced the club's megastore to lower its shutters on two separate occasions.

The American owners have presided over what has turned out to be a disappointing transfer window with Erik ten Hag not getting the backing he needs to implement the changes at United that many fans are desperate to see. The club have so far signed Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen — with Ten Hag keen for more additions before the September 1st deadline.

ALSO READ: United weighing up bid for Lazio ace Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Knighton has now publicly announced that he is planning to submit a bid to buy the club and the news may seem strangely familiar to many fans. In 1989, the Englishman made a then record-breaking offer of £20million to purchase United; he was so confident in the deal going ahead that he appeared in a full United kit prior to the team's opening game of the 1989-90 league season against Arsenal.

However, the deal collapsed and Knighton instead took up a role on the board of directors. Given this previous failed attempt, a lot of United fans have not completely been convinced by the idea of his planned bid.

You can read Knighton's comments in full here.

Supporters took to social media to show their scepticism and doubt as the news of Knighton's potential bid started to emerge:

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