(Football news) According to various sources, members of the Glazer family Avram and Joel Glazer are reluctant to sell Manchester United despite their siblings Kevin, Edward, Bryan and Darcie open to a takeover. Avram and Joel Glazer’s stances have been strengthened further by the fact that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim’s bids have not reached the £6bn target that the owners had set for a complete takeover. The Glazers had also hoped that there would be more potential offers to the Raine Group before the soft deadline on February 17th with only two interested owners at the moment.
If the Glazers decide to sell Manchester United, both the potential owners will need to increase their bids significantly. Both Joel and Avram Glazer believe that given the club’s stature around the world, the potential for growth in emerging markets both at present or the future has been underestimated. However, Manchester United are currently in debt of £656m along with transfer fees owed and they will require significant investment for the redevelopment of Old Trafford and the Carrington training ground. Moreover, the fans have been vocal about their opposition to the Glazer family ownership ever since they took over in 2005 and it’s fair to say that there will be an uproar if the takeover doesn’t go through.
Avram Glazer has previously said that the process to explore strategic alternatives is “not necessarily a sale” while Manchester United had issued a statement which read that “there can be no assurance that the review being undertaken will result in any transaction involving the company”. Potential owner Jim Ratcliffe had said last October that the Glazer family “do not want to sell” but the Manchester born billionaire remains interested in a potential takeover of the club. When asked about Avram’s attendance at the final, Ten Hag said “He was really happy for the club, as our owner. He wanted to be part of it. He was in the dressing room, it was good he was here. It showed his intentions.”
On what those intentions are, he added: “I don’t know, I’m not involved in that process but the way he is here, you feel he is committed. What he wants, that is not for me [to say]. I have to lead this team. Others in the club are involved in decisions about ownership.” As things stand, both Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe remain interested in buying the club despite the first bids being rejected.
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