Man Utd bidders PUT OFF takeover after dismal start to season
Suraj Radia
- 20 Sept 2023 16:32 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United’s takeover hopes continue to fade after reports that the club’s poor start to the season is prompting bidders to stray further away from the Glazer family’s asking price.
The Glazers announced in November last year that they would be seeking external investment in the club, which could amount to a full sale, however their valuation of around £6 billion has failed to be matched so far.
Discussions with potential buyers are said to be ongoing, with British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and a Qatari group fronted by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani still believed to be the frontrunners for a complete purchase.
RUINED: Takeover saga stopped Man Utd €100m signing
However, despite previous optimism that a deal would have been closed by the end of last season, no deal is on the table after offers from both parties, exceeding £5bn, fell short of the Glazer’s expectations.
United chief executive Richard Arnold told colleagues that a ‘strategic review’ was ongoing and urged everyone to ‘remain resilient’ in an all-staff meeting but The Times claim that the turmoil surrounding the club both on and off the pitch this season is ‘worsening the likelihood of a takeover’.
Erik ten Hag’s side sit 13th in the Premier League after a dismal 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton last weekend, while the controversies involving Mason Greenwood, Antony and Jadon Sancho ‘are doing nothing to persuade bidders to improve offers’.
United’s issues under scrutiny
United have picked up just six points from five games this season despite spending nearly £200 million this summer, further emphasising the scale of the rebuilding job necessary for any new owners.
There has also been trouble with the club’s handling of their players, with Greenwood leaving on loan to Getafe after a failed effort to reintegrate him into the first team, while Antony is spending time away from the squad after assault allegations in his native Brazil by multiple women.
Sancho, meanwhile, is also training away from the first team after a public fall-out with Ten Hag and the issues have led some sources to talk of a ‘mutiny’ in the dressing room.
DRAMA: Stars revolt against Ten Hag
Arnold spoke at the meeting with staff this week and addressed questions over the club’s financial plans as well as the concerns on the pitch, although no information about the takeover was revealed.
