Kieran Maguire reveals Man United summer transfer budget if Glazers stay – ‘fans will be fuming’
The transfer budget at Man United will not be reduced if the Glazers stay but the club will struggle to secure marquee signings.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who spoke exclusively to Football Insider about United’s transfer plans if the takeover saga continues over the summer.
As reported by ESPN last month, the Glazers are growing increasingly confident of securing minority investment and staying put in Manchester.
The American owners at Old Trafford ordered a third round of bidding for the club, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe still the two favourites to complete a deal.
The Qatar bid is still believed to be for 100 per cent of the club, while it has been reported that Ratcliffe is willing to let the Glazers keep a 20 per cent stake in the club if his deal is accepted.
However, an agreement is no closer to being completed, and Football Insider sources revealed that the takeover could take 10 weeks to complete once a preferred bidder is chosen.
Maguire believes that United’s summer budget will be unaffected by the takeover but insists their chance of landing marquee targets will face a blow.
“Markets like certainty and that includes the transfer market,” Maguire told Football Insider.
“If the Man United takeover drags on over the summer, it is unlikely that the Glazers will commit to putting any of their money into the transfer kitty.
“But, that’s no different to the way they have treated the club since their initial takeover at Old Trafford in 2005.
“I don’t think we will see any reduction as far as the transfer budget is concerned, but fans will be fuming if a takeover isn’t agreed as there will be no rocket boosters applied to secure marquee signings.
“That might have been the case if the club was sold to an owner who wanted to make a big impression this summer.“
In other news, Ratcliffe to keep Glazers at Man United in new takeover offer – ‘total contempt for fans’