This week, the embattled Glazer family, the American owners of Manchester United, have finally set the price for the club, indicating they are willing to sell their entire stake in the soccer giant.
It is in response to mounting pressure to sell the team that the Glazers have placed a minimum £3.75 billion price tag on Manchester United.
Fans and businessmen pressed the Glazer family to sell the club with demonstrations joining former United star Gary Neville in calling for them to give up control of Old Trafford.
The club has never seen such anger and protests against its owners, an unprecedented situation after the two defeats of the club in this year’s Premier League openers.
The 4-0 defeat to Brentford was the straw that broke the camel’s back so to say and now the Glazers have finally spoken.
They bought the team for £790 million in 2005.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the richest man in Britain and a lifelong fan, recently made headlines by expressing interest in purchasing his favourite team. Now, it’s rumoured that business moguls from Dubai are considering making a move.
However, there are fresh talks that the group from Dubai is tipped to join the Premier League party, after Abu Dhabi – Manchester City – and Saudi Arabia Newcastle.
The sale price could go up to £5 billion.
The bidding is on and with Ratcliffe’s offer to buy the club, it appears the Glazers will not be holding sway for too long.
Ratcliffe owns INEOS and French club Nice and his spokesperson told the Times : “If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer. If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.
“This is not about the money that has been spent or not spent. Jim is looking at what can be done now and, knowing how important the club is to the city, it feels like the time is right for a reset.”
It appears the situation at Manchester United is thus evolving beyond the Elon Musk joke.