Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid for Manchester United could see the Glazers KEEP a stake in the club in a move that would infuriate fans who are desperate for them to go… with one option seeing Joel and Avram retaining a combined 20 per cent
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe is proposing a move that would keep the Glazers at the club
- One of the options would see Ratcliffe take a controlling stake of more than 50%
- Avram and Joel Glazer would retain a combined 20% under the proposal
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is offering a deal for Manchester United that would enable Joel and Avram Glazer to remain stakeholders in the club, Mail Sport understands.
In what would be a highly controversial act likely to infuriate large sections of United’s support, one of the options on the table for the American owners would see Ratcliffe take a controlling stake of more than 50 per cent, with the two Glazers retaining a combined 20 per cent.
Should the proposal get the nod it would mean that a connection with the family, whose leveraged buyout in 2005 plunged United into hundreds of millions of debt, continues.
Those close to the process, which is being run by US merchant bank Raine Group, say the prospect may well prove to be the preferred option with the two Glazer brothers – the members of the family most-heavily involved in the running of the club – given an opportunity to stay.
It is thought the final portion currently owned by various investment groups would also remain in place.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid to takeover Manchester United includes a promise to the Glazer family
It’s said the Glazers would maintain a stake in the club and a place on the Red Devil’s board (Avram Glazer pictured second from right)
Such a scenario would be likely to feature a promise of further investment from Ratcliffe’s Ineos to redevelop Old Trafford or build a new stadium, upgrade the training ground and provide substantial transfer funds for manager Erik ten Hag.
When Raine oversaw the sale of Chelsea last summer the successful bidders paid £2.5bn for the club and pledged another £1.75bn in investment.
The deadline for closing bids is this Friday. Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani will present his concluding offer, which is for full control of United.
He has no interest in taking a partial stake. He is viewed as having the deepest pockets and remains an attractive proposal. A full takeover is also viewed as a ‘cleaner’ transaction.
It comes despite fan fury towards the owners by Manchester United fans in recent years
Ratcliffe is hoping to win the bid to takeover Man United ahead of interest from Qatar
The deadline for closing bids is on Friday and Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani will present his offer which is for full control of the Red Devils
It is expected that a preferred bidder will then be selected within days, with the aim to have investment or new owners in place for the next transfer window, which opens in June.
Ahead of this development, a United supporters group revealed plans for a protest against the Glazers amid concerns over ‘the prolonged nature of takeover talks’ after the bidding went into a fourth round and after US investment firms expressed in interest in partial investment.
At Sunday’s match with Aston Villa they plan to march from Manchester city centre to Old Trafford under the slogan ‘full sale only’. The group will boycott the first 18 minutes which they say is ‘one for every year the Glazers have driven our club to the ground’ before entering the stadium.
Last year football finance experts estimated that the Glazers had drained more than £1.1bn out of United via dividends and the servicing of the debt they saddled United with following their own takeover.
A United supporters group are planning to protest before their game with Aston Villa demanding a ‘full sale only’
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