The Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) has welcomed the Glazers' decision to sell the club, but has warned that any prospective buyer must be committed to the club's culture, ethos, and best traditions.
United 's owners have put the club up for sale in order to attract new investment, and a number of parties are said to be interested in purchasing the Old Trafford club.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been tipped as an early favourite to rekindle his interest in purchasing the club, after initially expressing an interest in August, while the news is also said to have sparked interest from the Middle East, with Dubai's sovereign wealth fund rumoured to be one interested party in a deal.
Read more: United's next owners could divide the fanbase
It is still early days, and there is no guarantee that any sale will go through, but the MUST believe that it is imperative that any new owner match the same values of the club.
“The statement last night from Manchester United, that the club is up for sale, confirmed information we’d been hearing over recent days," a MUST statement read.
“Over the last 17 years Manchester United fans have been dismayed with the ownership of the club. Over that period, we have witnessed a decline on the playing side and a decline in our stadium. Until recently, any proper dialogue with fans groups had also been absent.
“Whilst supporters have long called for change, of course this has to be the right change. At this moment in time our club needs new investment more than ever. That requires new ownership.
“Any prospective new owner or investor has to be committed to the culture, ethos and best traditions of the club.
“They have to be willing to invest to restore United to former glories, and that investment must be real new money spent on the playing side and the stadium.
“Finally any new ownership structure must embed supporters, including a degree of fan share ownership, in their operating model.
“Manchester United’s fans are its greatest asset and hold the key to unlocking the true value of any football club. That relationship has to be one of equals – sharing in ownership and unified with the same goals.”
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