Manchester United

Every Manchester United takeover bid 'falls short of Glazer family's £6bn asking price'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 19 February 2023

Every Man United takeover bid 'falls short of Glazer family's £6bn asking price'

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani reportedly fail to meet the Glazer family's £6bn asking price for Manchester United.

None of the bidders to take over Manchester United has met the Glazer family's £6bn asking price for the club, according to a report.

In November, the American owners announced that they would be exploring "strategic alternatives" for the Red Devils in the coming months, which included the possibility of a full sale.

Interested parties were given a soft deadline of 10pm on Friday to submit their offers, and two are confirmed to have arrived from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.

American hedge fund giants Elliott Investment Management are also said to have launched their own pursuit of Man United, but the Glazers are continuing to drive a hard bargain.

According to The Sun, Man United's current owners are refusing to budge on their £6bn asking price, and neither Ratcliffe nor Sheikh Jassim's bids would rise above £5bn.

Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrives for the annual Red Cross Gala in Monte Carlo on July 18, 2022 © Reuters

A source allegedly told the publication that the Glazers may ultimately just consider a partial sale, or they may postpone their strategic plan for another year if no offers satisfy them.

"It's still not clear if the Glazers actually want to sell and — if they do — it will only be for top dollar," the insider is quoted as saying.

"It's possible they are keener on a partial sale rather than a full one at this stage — as that might value the club higher. What is obvious is that they want to maximise their profits by selling at their preferred price or not at all.

"The other possibility nobody is discounting is they will simply decide that none of the bids is anywhere near what they want and call it off, in the hope that the market conditions change in their favour in a year or so."

The Glazers assumed full control of Man United in 2005, but the family are said to own approximately 69% of the club, with the other 31% listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

General view inside Manchester United's stadium Old Trafford before the match on January 10, 2023 © Reuters

Ratcliffe - who owns petrochemicals firm Ineos - is understood to have tabled a bid for the entirety of the Glazers' shareholding, while Sheikh Jassim has presented a "100%" offer.

The Glazers' time at the Old Trafford helm has been characterised by fierce opposition to their ownership, and tensions boiled over in the wake of the European Super League debacle in 2021.

During a protest outside the ground, stormed onto the Old Trafford pitch, leading to the postponement of a Premier League fixture with Liverpool, and the Glazers' perceived lack of support in the transfer market has also been criticised.

Man United consolidated their hold on third place in the Premier League table with a 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday and are next in action at home to Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League playoff tie on Thursday.