Man Utd takeover: New potential bidder named as Glazers consider sale with direction clear | OneFootball

Some members of the Glazer family are reportedly looking for a way out of Manchester United, and a new potential bidder has been named.

The Glazer family remain incredibly unpopular at Man Utd, even though they have relinquished most of their control at Old Trafford.

They remain the majority stakeholders of Man Utd, but INEOS supremo Sir Jim Ratcliffe runs the Premier League giants. He gained control as part of a deal to purchase a minority stake, with the British businessman holding a share of around 29%.

Ratcliffe is not without his critics at Man Utd, but he is far more popular than the Glazer family and he has contributed to getting the club back on track on the pitch.

When Ratcliffe joined Man Utd, it was widely reported that he joined the club with a view to eventually becoming their majority shareholder.

However, there has been speculation that the Glazer family could sell their remaining share to another party, and insider Indykaila claims there is now fresh ‘interest’ from the Middle East and a new potential bidder.

According to the report, this is at least partly because some members of the Glazer family are ‘considering’ selling ‘some or all of their remaining stake’.

Indykaila said on X: ‘Exclusive: Billionaire linked to Manchester United.

‘Sources close to the situation say members of the Glazer family are again considering whether to sell some or all of their remaining stake in Manchester United.

‘The discussions are understood to have started among individual family members and then widened, with some hoping others will join a broader sale.

‘That would be consistent with reporting earlier this summer that the family has been studying options after more than two decades of ownership.

‘United’s structure still matters. The Glazers retain majority voting control through Class B shares. INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, holds a minority stake of just under 29 per cent and already runs football operations.

‘Any serious change in ownership would therefore involve more than a simple share sale. Drag-along provisions from the 2024 deal also remain part of the picture if a full-club transaction ever materialises.’

The same report has stated that there is currently a ‘clear direction of travel’ regarding a potential takeover, with the potential new rival for Ratcliffe named.

‘Interest from the Middle East is being mentioned again,’ they continued.

‘One name circulating among sources is a high-profile investor linked to DAMAC Properties, the Dubai-based group founded by Hussain Sajwani. Sajwani’s fortune is estimated in the mid-teens of billions of dollars. That would put him among the few private investors theoretically able to look at an asset of United’s scale.

‘There is no public confirmation of a formal bid.

‘We asked a source familiar with INEOS whether the group would seek full ownership if the Glazers put a controlling stake on the market. There was no comment.

‘Nothing is agreed. Family members are not united, valuations would be high because of the voting rights attached to the Glazer shares, and previous processes have collapsed. But the direction of travel is clear: some of the current owners are looking at an exit, and well-capitalised overseas investors are watching.’