CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that although Jim Ratcliffe would like to buy Manchester United he isn’t prepared to meet the current asking price.
This week the club announced that they would begin “a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club” and were officially considering a sale of the English giants.
A figure of £5bn is thought to be the desired asking price and just a day after the announcement was made The Telegraph claimed that Ratcliffe was preparing a bid.
However, Jacobs raised doubts over a possible purchase.
Speaking on The Done Deal Show he said:
(8:55) “This is a sale process made by Americans, largely for Americans and Ratcliffe is going to have to kind of find a way of getting within the inner circle.
“To do that, he also needs to show that he’s prepared to meet the Glazers’ valuation and my understanding is that he’s quite weary at the moment because it’s a club that he desperately wants, but it’s not at a price that he thinks is anywhere close to fair market value and if it transpires, and especially with Liverpool up for sale as well, that there is a range of investors and suitors and groups that are prepared to get into a bidding war we’ll see higher value in Manchester United and even if Radcliffe progresses, it will become a case of how high is he prepared to go?
“I personally believe unless he combines with another group, which could be a possibility, he won’t go high enough.”
TIF Thoughts on Jacobs’ comments…
Will Manchester United find new owners in 2023?
Yes
No
Earlier this year billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe admitted that he had an interest in buying the team he supports but it seems as if he may need to partner up in order to acquire the English giants.
When discussing who could buy the club BBC Sport suggested that if the Chelsea sale this summer is anything to go by a private equity group will be involved given the figures being discussed.
Despite being Britain’s richest man, Jacob’s update appears to suggest that Ratcliffe won’t be able to obtain the club routinely.