Manchester United fans now have a better understanding of who is bidding for the football club.
At least two of the bidders have gone public with statements, such as Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. There’s also interest from US hedge fund giant Elliott, who are willing to stump up a package for a figurehead who wants to front any bid.
Manchester United Supporters’ Trust has released the following statement in response to the bids: “At the commencement of the sale process, MUST was very clear about our list of asks for any new owner of Manchester United. These were to restore the Club to the top of European football, invest in the teams, the wider Club and the stadium, to ensure financial stability, and to work in true partnership with fans at all times. These principles have been backed to date by 150 fan groups from all across the world.
“The open letter to bidders is published here: https://www.imust.org.uk/Blog/Entry/open-letter-to-potential-bidders-for-manchester-united
“Any bid will be judged against these criteria, but with the news of the specific bids coming in further considerations arise.
“There are questions about sporting integrity given the exceptionally close links between some bidders and the owners of other European clubs including PSG and Nice. There are also questions about whether any bids will also be based on high levels of debt.
“We also note the importance that any owner respects the rights of all people, particularly women and the LGBTQ+ community. Concerns have been raised by other fans groups which we fully support.
“We urge all bidders to open a dialogue with fans groups alongside the bidding process with the club, in order to discuss their proposals including the above issues.
“Finally, everyone can see the progress the team is making under Erik Ten Hag. After the frustrations of the last decade, it is clear that enormous strides are being taken. Any prospective bidder needs to explicitly commit to backing Erik and his plans to restore United to glory.”
Get the most important Manchester United news, opinion, interviews and exclusive features with the Stretty Newsletter – Ad Free! Kick off your afternoon with the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United.