Fenway Sports Group put Liverpool up for sale earlier this month and just 17 days later the Glazer family placed Manchester United on the market. England's biggest clubs are currently both available for purchase and that is unprecedented.
FSG and the Glazers will make eyewatering profits on the sales of the clubs they respectively own and that suggests their dystopian American dream is very much alive and well. Liverpool's John W. Henry and the Glazers might be dreaming of making an extraordinary profit on their original investments, but the supporters of their clubs are dreaming of a future without their American custodians.
The Glazers became majority shareholders at Old Trafford in 2005, with their leveraged buyout financed primarily through loans secured against the club's assets, and supporters have been dreaming of their departure since.
ALSO READ: Avram Glazer responds to Ronaldo saying owners don't care about United
After years of protests, betrayal, decline and neglect, the dream of the Glazers' removal has the potential to become a reality after the club announced on Tuesday night that they were 'exploring strategic opportunities', which could include selling it.
That announcement was compared to 'winning a European Cup' by a prominent supporter, while others opened the champagne at home. It felt like a seismic day in the club's history and the timing of the announcement was no coincidence.
Roman Abramovich was forced to sell Chelsea in a deal worth up to £4.25billion in May and that sale got other Premier League owners thinking. FSG announced Liverpool were on the market at the start of November and industry experts speculated the sale of Chelsea, which made Abramovich unthinkable profit, would have almost certainly influenced their Henry.
Jurgen Klopp has inspired a renaissance at Anfield since his appointment, with the German leading Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League glory, and the club is worth more now than it ever has been.
In a volatile market where on-field performance can't be taken for granted and with Klopp, who single-handedly improved Liverpool, entering his final years on Merseyside, it's a logical time for FSG to sell the club and walk away with billions of pounds.
The Liverpool team that pushed Manchester City is now in the end cycle and this season has shown their squad needs heavy investment to challenge for major honours again, but FSG would rather cash out than buy more chips at the table.
Liverpool are a unique prospect for potential suitors and interest should not be an issue, but FSG did not know they would be facing competition from the Glazers in the market, which undoubtedly complicates their sale and club marketability.
The Glazers have been majority owners at Old Trafford for 17 years and they've been unflinching in the face of mass protests and some abhorrent chanting against their family. Yet they seem to have been tempted to emerge from the shadows by FSG placing their club on the market, as it's an opportunity to snatch potential buys from Liverpool for their own personal gain.
Chelsea were sold in a deal worth up to £4.25billion and it's estimated that Liverpool would command a similar fee. The Glazers are running out of road in Manchester and they know it would be foolish not to get involved in a sale for such a price.
Newcastle were also subject to a Saudi-led takeover last year and they seem to have the financial muscle to eventually challenge the top of the Premier League. They are set to compete for a Champions League place and that is one less position for the 'Big Six'.
It has been suggested that those involved with the 'process' of looking for new investors at United believe they represent a much more appealing prospect than Liverpool due to their larger global reach and a battle between both club's American owners for a sale could develop, so it's likely Liverpool's Henry wouldn't have been pleased by United's announcement on Tuesday.
It seems like Liverpool have inadvertently helped United fans get what they wanted: their club up for sale. There has already been talk of interest from Dubai, Facebook, Amazon and Apple in purchasing United and an acquisition from the latter would be fruitful.
Apple is the largest tech company in the world and they have the resources to return United to its former glory, which means the tawdry Europa League entrance music might not be heard over the tannoy at Old Trafford again in the future.
United must be capable of challenging the best in the Champions League and a change of ownership is needed for that.
That change of ownership is now possible and it's likely FSG putting Liverpool up for sale has contributed.
Read more:
