The long-awaited Manchester United takeover may never happen again soon as the Glazers make shock u-turn on sale decision.
The embattled American investors, who have been at loggerheads with United fan base, finally decided to put up the club for sale in November, 2022.
Since then, Manchester United takeover has been a tale of near-deal and forlorn hopes. Series of bids have been submitted by interested parties with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim emerging as two frontline contenders.
At a point, Sheikh Jassim was reportedly close to a deal with the Glazers family after meeting their £6bn demand. However, a deal was not brokered despite reports the Glazers were exclusively discussing the takeover with Shiekh Jassim’s camp.
After multiple round of bids, it was believed the Glazers will finally hands off Manchester United before the 2023 transfer window.
Against speculations, the Glazers have continued on the saddle with reports they may not sell Manchester United again as planned.
Meanwhile, there have been seething protests from a large section of Manchester United fan base, vehemently opposing the Glazers continued ownership of the club due to over a decade of rot and degradation.
The sale decision, as announced in 2022, is believed to have stemmed off the growing discontent and disgruntlement of the fans with the Glazers handling of the club.
Now, according to report from Daily Mail, the Glazers are considering a shock u-turn on their decision to sell Manchester United despite incessant protests by Manchester United fans.
Sources close to the beleaguered football investors say they have grown a thick skin on regular protests by Manchester United fans.
The report adds the Glazers are considering taking the club off the market for the next two years and inflating the club’s valuation from £6bn to £10bn in 2025.
The Glazers have been reportedly disappointed by the reduced number of suitors that have indicated interest in buying Manchester United which has forced down the club’s sale value against their perk.
They are planning to axed off the club from the market and place it in the market again in 2025 when ‘environmental factors’ would have favoured sale and shoots up the value to the estimated £10bn.
Particularly, the Glazers are reportedly hoping to leverage on the 2026 World Cup in America for Man United sale. They want to reannounce the sale decision in 2025 close to the football fiesta with the hope of attracting interests from high net worth football investors in America, whose interest in the game would have been heightened due to the expected World Cup in America.
The move by the Glazers to postpone Manchester United sale will further heighten tensions between the club and the growing anti-Glazers fan base.
The Glazers bought Manchester United for £790m in 2005 and have been criticized for saddling the club with debts and running it more as a commercial than a sports venture.
