Glazers could be about to agree Man United takeover amid ‘advanced talks’
Manchester United are once again the subject of takeover speculation after a new update has emerged.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe purchased a 27.7 per cent stake in Man United in February 2024 after agreeing a £1.25billion deal with the Glazers, valuing the club at close to £5bn.
The INEOS chief was selected as the preferred bidder ahead of Sheikh Jassim, who wanted to secure a full takeover but failed to provide proof of funds.
However, the Glazers’s drag-along rights in Man United came into effect in August, 18 months after their deal with Ratcliffe was agreed.
It gives the American family the power to sell their stake and also force Ratcliffe into a sale in a full takeover of the club.
How much of Man United do the Glazers own?
Ratcliffe has increased his stake in Man United to 28.9 per cent after injecting £238million since initially investing in the club.
Meanwhile, the Glazers, who bought a 98 per cent stake at Old Trafford in 2005 for £790m, have since seen their shareholding diluted to 48.9 per cent.
Now, a new takeover deal could be on the cards following an update from the Middle East.
Saudi sports chief Turki Al-Sheikh revealed on Wednesday (8 October) Man United are in an advanced stage of completing a sale to a new investor.
He said: “The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor. I hope he’s better than the previous owners.”
Al-Sheikh is currently in talks with Old Trafford chiefs about Man United playing mid-season friendlies in Saudi Arabia to boost their revenue.
How much could a Man United takeover be worth?
It’s currently unclear whether the takeover deal in question comes as a result of the Glazers activating their drag-along rights.
The Glazers could land an extra £2.5bn if they were to trigger a sale, with the club likely commanding a valuation in excess of £5bn.
However, finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider on 15 September Ratcliffe could look to agree a full Man United takeover to avoid a third-party swooping in to buy the club.
“I just don’t think it’s very likely that out of the blue somebody says here’s an offer for United,” said Borson.
“I think we’d know about it if there was some kind of sale process that was ongoing. What we might not know about is if Ratcliffe wanted to buy the rest, and that could happen.
“That could be arranged behind the scenes confidentially and then announced.”
While the takeover speculation is certain to dominate the conversation, Ruben Amorim’s side will be focusing on improving matters on the pitch.
Man United currently sit 10th in the Premier League table after picking up 10 points from their opening seven games of the season.
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