(Credit: Getty Images)
(Credit: Getty Images)

Kieran Maguire points out £5billion Qatar takeover ‘problem’ at Man United - ‘there is no such thing...'

Kieran Maguire

Kieran joined the Football Insider squad in January 2021 and provides clarity for readers on the occasionally bewildering world of football finance. He is an author, university lecturer and all-round spreadsheet boffin. His 2020 book The Price of Football is a seminal work on the economic side of the beautiful game.

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The Glazer family are able to overvalue the sale of Man United to Qatar investors as the club is a "unicorn asset" and equivalent to a "work of art".

That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the problems facing parties interested in purchasing Man United.

As reported by Bloomberg, Qatar investors have submitted a £5billion bid for the Red Devils after the Glazers revealed in November that they are open to selling the club.

Man United

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also registered his interest in purchasing the club, with reports that he has bid for 69 per cent of shares - the equivalent to the Glazer family's current stake.

However, the Glazers set a £6billion asking price for the club and The Sun reported on Saturday (18 February) that they will refuse to budge from that price tag.

Despite the gap in valuation between bids and the Glazer's asking price, Maguire insists that the Manchester club is a "unicorn asset" and therefore the Glazers are taking advantage of what is a "unique asset".

"I think the problem not only for the Qatari bidders but all Man United bidders is that the club is a unicorn asset," Maguire told Football Insider's Adam Williams.

Man United

"It is a unique asset and therefore there is no such thing as a fair price.

"They are dealing with the equivalent of a work of art and it’s very difficult to value unique assets."

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