Glazers 'could be persuaded to sell Manchester United'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 04 May 2021

Glazers 'could be persuaded to sell Man United'

The Glazer family are reportedly open to the prospect of selling Manchester United, but it could take an offer of more than £4bn to convince them to leave.

The Glazer family are reportedly open to the idea of selling Manchester United, but only if a potential buyer stumps up an offer of at least £4bn.

The American owners have come under mounting pressure to sell their stake in the club following their involvement in the attempted European Super League breakaway.

Supporters have been unhappy with the Glazer family's ownership since their takeover in 2005, with the club's debt skyrocketing from nothing to £837m by the end of 2019-20.

The Super League plans have sparked a fresh wave of protests, ultimately leading to Sunday's scheduled Premier League showdown with Liverpool being abandoned after fans broke into Old Trafford and demonstrated on the pitch.

The Times now reports that the Glazers would consider selling their shares in the club, which are currently estimated to be worth around £2.1bn.

However, it would reportedly take a bid of at least £3bn for the Glazers to accept an offer, while lenders could also then invoke of "change-of-control clause" and demand repayment from any new owner, adding almost £1bn extra onto the price.

The Glazer family currently take out around £16.5m from the club in dividends every year, and Joel Glazer was one of the leading proponents of the Super League plans.

The Glazers bought Man United for around £790m, but borrowed an estimated £600m of that from banks and have seen those debts rise significantly due to the interest charged.