Manchester United’s potential sale looked even more uncertain today on reports that the owning Glazer family are eyeing the sale of a minority stake instead.
Private equity groups Carlyle, Elliott Investment Management, Sixth Street and Ares are all said to have expressed an interest in taking a stake in the premier league club.
Raine, the merchant bank appointed to sift the offers, is said to be examining the minority options with the possibility that the Glazers, who currently have a 69% stake, will still be in charge at the end of the process.
Contrary to that story, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani was also reported today as being confident that his offer to buy the whole club outright will be successful.
His nine-two consortium has proposed a cash deal sufficient to buy out the owners and rebuild the team, the stadium and fans’ engagement with the club.
The Shiekh, and UK billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, are the only full bidders left following the recent withdrawal of Finnish billionaire Thomas Zilliacus, who described the bidding process as a farce after a third round of bidding was introduced.
The final deadline for that third round is April 28, but to the dismay of most fans, the momentum seems to be swinging towards the Glazers hanging around with a new minority partner.
Shares in US-listed Manchester United rose by 2.4% to US$20.01 valuing it as US$3.25bn, though the Glazers now reportedly see the club as worth US$6.6bn and rising.