Football finance expert Dan Plumley believes the Glazers may be attracted by the prospect of a partial sale as they seek to sell Manchester United.
In a report from The Athletic, Avram Glazer was quoted saying: “It’s not necessarily a sale, it’s a process and we’re going forward with the process.”
Meanwhile, talks have reportedly been held with potential investors who are from Qatar.
There’s been much animosity between the owners and fans of Man United, with supporters holding protests conveying their dismay with them in the past.
Speaking to Football Insider, Plumley said that a partial sale could ‘attract’ the Glazers. However, he also added that they ‘would entertain a full takeover’.
Plumley stated: “A partial sale is attractive because the main owners get to keep their control.
“They stay the ultimate power in the club and they get fresh money. It is someone else who is footing the bill to grow the club.
“However, they would be giving up a stake in the club, which would then hurt them in the future when you are organising dividends.
“We have seen a reluctance from the Glazers to put money into the club over time.
“The language is softening and all options seem to be on the table. The initial statement anyway seemed to suggest they would entertain full takeover offers or partial investment. It’s just a matter of price.”
TIF Thoughts on Plumley’s comments…
It seems that the Glazers are looking at a number of different avenues when it comes to selling the club.
Either a full takeover or a partial sale would mean that they wouldn’t have to fund the clubs for transfers.
It would mean that the Glazers could still continue to offer their shareholders dividends from the profits they generate from the club, so it is clear there are benefits from the sellers’ point of view.
However, it’s clear that the majority of Man United fans would want just want them to sell the club outright. A mere Twitter search of ‘Glazers out’ will show you how derided they are by the fanbase.
We believe Erik Ten Hag needs to be backed as the club push for a top-four spot in the Premier League. They’re three points off fourth at present and have only lost one of their last six league matches. Improving the squad will help them compete with the teams around them for this campaign and future ones to follow, so this is an important decision for the club’s long-term future.
However, considering they have given the fans little pleasure over the years, we are unsure as to whether they will make the right call.