Manchester United

Joel, Avram Glazer 'still only want minority investment in Manchester United'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 17 April 2023

Joel, Avram Glazer 'still only want minority investment in Man United'

Manchester United's co-owners Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer are still in favour of bringing in minority investment to the club, according to a report.

Manchester United's co-owners Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer are reportedly still in favour of bringing in minority investment to the club rather than a full sale.

Last November, the Glazers revealed that they were open to selling the 20-time English champions, and there have been a number of developments in recent months.

As it stands, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani are seen as the favourites to complete a takeover, with the latter looking to purchase 100% of the club.

The sale process has allegedly entered a third round of bidding, with the second offers from Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim - believed to be around £5bn - being rejected.

Sheikh Jassim is reportedly preparing to make a third offer for the club, with the Qatari banker determined to complete a full takeover over the next few weeks.

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

However, there have been various reports that Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer are not looking to sell the club and instead want to bring in outside investment.

There is thought to be a split when it comes to the opinions of the siblings, with Kevin, Edward, Bryan and Darcie said to be pushing for a full sale.

According to talkSPORT, that is not an opinion shared by Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer, with the duo determined to remain as the club's owners.

The report claims that the Glazers are unwilling to drop their valuation of £6bn, which has thus far not come close to being met by any bidder.

Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer and club CEO Richard Arnold on February 26, 2023 © Reuters

Former AC Milan owners Elliott Investment Management have allegedly made an offer to invest in the club, while various other parties are believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation.

When asked about the situation during the 2022 World Cup, Avram Glazer said that it was possible that a full sale would not occur, with all options on the table.

"It's not necessarily a sale, it's a process and we're going forward with the process, so we'll see what happens," he told The Athletic at the time. "I'm here to really watch the World Cup but I appreciate your interest. That's the update, it's the process and the process is proceeding."

Any potential new owner would want to have a plan in place for the summer transfer window, meaning that any takeover would likely have to be completed before the start of June.

Man United are still active in three competitions at this late stage of the season, and they will next be in action on Thursday evening away to Sevilla in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final.