The Glazer family are open to selling Manchester United following a dismal 17-year reign at Old Trafford in what is set to be the latest Premier League ownership saga on the back of developments at Liverpool and Leeds United, among others.
Having acquired their controlling stake in 2005 after completing a £790 million deal that was largely funded by debt, the Glazer's tenure has been largely dominated by significant fan protests and eradication in performances following the departure of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Red Devils have failed to win a Premier League title since 2013, with the American family recently coming under criticism from Cristiano Ronaldo. In an interview with TalkTV, which has subsequently led to the Portuguese star's departure from Old Trafford, Ronaldo claimed: "they [the Glazers] don't care about the club."
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Several major news outlets state that investment bankers have been asked for their advice on a process that could involve a full or partial sale or strategic partnership with third parties.
An official club statement read: "Manchester United plc (NYSE: MANU), one of the most successful and historic sports clubs in the world, announces today that the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) is commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club.
"The process is designed to enhance the club's future growth, with the ultimate goal of positioning the club to capitalize on opportunities both on the pitch and commercially.
"As part of this process, the Board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the Company. This will include an assessment of several initiatives to strengthen the club, including stadium and infrastructure redevelopment, and expansion of the club’s commercial operations on a global scale, each in the context of enhancing the long-term success of the club’s men’s, women’s and academy teams, and bringing benefits to fans and other stakeholders."
Such news comes after reports that Liverpool's US owners are also considering a sale of the club. While Leeds' minority owners 49ers Enterprises have been recently linked with a full takeover at Elland Road.
With the Merseyside club believed to be up for sale at an estimated £4 billion, football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes that a deal to purchase Man United could be worth up to a staggering £5 billion. "Manchester United is a unique asset, it's a global brand, so £5bn is not impossible, but that would be very much at the top end," Maguire told Sky Sports.
"I think, given the price Liverpool is probably being sold for, they'll feel they can get a premium on top of that, and it would now be an ideal time to sell - given Manchester United now needs a huge spend, in terms of infrastructure and also, arguably, player recruitment.
"We must be careful about the price Chelsea were sold for (£4.25bn) because the government only received £2.5bn. The other element of the price is a commitment to spend money over the course of the next 10 years.
"But, if you compare the relative size of the profitability and revenue generated at Manchester United to Chelsea, I think a figure between £4bn and £4.5bn is appropriate, and if there's a lot of interest that will drive up the price."
While he admitted that a positive World Cup in Qatar could have an impact on the number of potentially interested parties, Ronaldo's high-profile departure will not negatively affect a sale according to Maguire.
He explained: "If we have a successful World Cup in the Middle East, there are other potential investors, who might decide, on the back of Qatar and the success of other Middle East owners, that they might be interested in acquiring Manchester United as well.
"I don't think Ronaldo's departure will affect things as much as people are claiming. If you look at the most recent Manchester United accounts, the value of merchandise sales dropped in 2021/2022, compared to the previous season - despite Ronaldo being there."
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