The downfall of Manchester United has caused numerous fans worldwide to call for a new
successor. In March 2003, The Glazer family owned just below a 3% stake in the club, which
was worth £9 million. After just two years, the family completed a full takeover and acquired
Manchester United for an estimated fee of £790 million.
Prior to Sir Alex Fergusons' retirement on the 8th of May 2013, the longest-serving premier
manager won a staggering 38 trophies in his 26 years of management. Following his exit,
Manchester United have failed to find the right man for the job, having changed 8 managers in 9 years. In comparison to Manchester United's previous success, post-Ferguson, United have struggled in recent years, having to lift just three pieces of silverware, unlike rival club Manchester City who has seized United's throne having won 11 titles since Pep Guardiola took over in 2016.
In an attempt of reviving the Manchester United squad, the ownership has never shied away
from investing money into the club. However, the issue was much more than investing money
into an already talented squad. Erik Ten Haag, the current manager of the club has spent a
staggering 194 million pounds in just six months. Along with these substantial expenses, come
high expectations, especially from one of the greatest fanbases in the country.
Following these events, Manchester United fans have lost their patience with the board. In
In 2022, after immense pressure from the fans, Ed Woodward, the club's executive vice chairman stepped down from his role, after 10 years of service. Woodward was then replaced by Richard Arnold on February 1st, assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer.
It has been emphasised that a sale will only go through if the pricing is fair. That will
undoubtedly be far higher than the $3.65 billion (£3.05 billion) valuation of United on the New
York Stock Exchange at the end of trade on Tuesday. In addition to the sale price, the club's stadium's essential maintenance would also need to be paid for by the new owners.
The Glazers have a tendency to favour enhancing the current stadium over completely
replacing it, even if doing so has not been ruled out. The club has called Old Trafford home
since 1910, and it is said to contribute to the value of the club's entire brand.
According to reports, the Glazers are seeking a price higher than $7.2 billion, which would set a record for the sale of a sports team. The Raine Group will serve as the family's sole financial advisor. Raine oversaw the sale of Chelsea, a rival in the Premier League.
The Glazers haven't agreed to a complete transaction, possibly to maintain leverage, and Raine hasn't specified a time frame. Since the start of the Premier League season, the Glazers—who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—have faced fan protests urging them to sell the team. The team's most well-known player, Cristiano Ronaldo, will leave by mutual consent after giving a harsh statement about its current manager.