There has been a lot of news about Manchester United FC lately, especially regarding the club’s ownership. United’s moves in the transfer market this summer have been nerve-wracking, and now the issue of the club’s ownership is causing concern once again.
Manchester United has been under the control of the Glazer family since 2005. But the family has never been popular with the fans. Although they have invested a lot of money in the team in recent years, the results have been getting worse and worse and many fans want them to leave sooner rather than later.
By the end of 2023, things had changed a bit. British tycoon Jim Ratcliffe and his company Inglis bought a stake in United. Since their arrival, however, the club’s management doesn’t seem to have improved much, and the team’s performance remains inconsistent.
According to recent media reports, the Glazers have about three months to decide whether to exercise a right called “carry forward”. If they do, it could have a major impact on the club’s ownership structure, particularly two key figures – Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim.
Two years ago, Sheikh Jassim tried and failed to buy Manchester United. Now he may have another chance. According to an analysis by the Manchester Evening News, if the Glazer family decides to activate the so-called “right to delay,” it could force other minority shareholders (such as Ratcliffe) to sell their shares together. This means that if Glazer finds a new buyer, others will have to follow suit.
But if Glazer fails to find a suitable buyer in the meantime, Ratcliffe could again dominate the deal and the price would be negotiated between Glazer and the buyer.
Sheikh Jassim wants to buy all of Manchester United in one fell swoop. If the current situation is in his favour, he is likely to make another bid. However, his financial capabilities have been questioned in the past.
According to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last year, Sheikh Jassim could not prove he had the financial resources to complete the purchase and was therefore excluded from the negotiations. It also raises the question of whether he really has enough money to buy United this time around.
Overall, the jury is still out on who the future owners of Manchester United will be. The next few months will be a crucial period as both fans and players wait for a clear outcome.
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