The Glazer family still value Manchester United in excess of £5billion amid rumours of a potential Middle Eastern takeover, talkSPORT understands.
Boxing promoter and Saudi tycoon Turki Alalshikh sent United fans into a frenzy by claiming on social media that the Red Devils were close to being under new ownership.
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Alalshikh declared that United could be up for saleCredit: Getty
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He dropped the cryptic message about Man United on X
He wrote on X: “The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor – I hope he’s better than the previous owners.”
United sources are in the dark over the claims, although any interested parties can negotiate directly with the club’s despised owners.
The group Alalshikh referenced is believed to be UAE-based and talkSPORT has been told several United legends have been approached about potentially investing.
The Glazers have already sold a minority stake to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group, but there is a clause in that dela meaning Ratcliffe would be forced to sell his shares or match any offer the American family accept from interested parties.
Not the best’ – Sir Jim Ratcliffe addresses how long Ruben Amorim has to turn things around at Manchester United
That so-called ‘drag-on’ clause became active in August.
Despite United’s poor results and lack of Champions League football, the Glazers are staunch in their valuation of the club, partly because of the plans in place, driven by Ratcliffe, for a new stadium.
They also believe United will continue to grow in value regardless of on-field success.
Alalshikh himself has been looking to invest in a football club in England, though he has stressed he isn’t in the race to buy United.
Former Crystal Palace owner, and talkSPORT host, Simon Jordan revealed in September that he held an interest in buying Bristol City.
Other clubs believed to have been of interest were Southampton, Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday.
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Ratcliffe bought a 27.7 per cent stake in Man United in February 2024Credit: Getty
Alalshikh’s claim on social media has been viewed more than five million times.
Manchester United’s ownership
The Glazer family are still the majority owners of Manchester United.
They sold a 27.7 per cent stake to Ineos businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe in 2024 for £1.25bn.
They rejected a takeover bid from a Qatari consortium led by Sheikh Jassim Al-Thani.
There are no suggestions that the Glazer family or Ratcliffe are currently looking to sell their stake in the club.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Man United
Since becoming a minority owner in the Red Devils, Ratcliffe has been running the day-to-day operations at Old Trafford.
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The Glazers sold a large stake in United, but still have majority controlCredit: Getty Images – Getty
He has made wide-ranging cost-cutting measures that has resulted in about 450 jobs being lost.
Ratcliffe has spoken out about what has happened at United under his tenure.
“The costs were just too high,” Ratcliffe told The Business Podcast.
“There are some fantastic people at Manchester United, but there was also a level of mediocrity and it had become bloated. I got a lot of flak for the free lunches, but no one’s ever given me a free lunch.
“The biggest correlation, like it or not, between results and any external factor, is profitability.
“The more cash you have got, the better squad you can build. So a lot of what we have done in the first year is spend an awful lot of time putting the club on a sustainable, healthy footing.”
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Amorim has yet to win back-to-back league games at UnitedCredit: Getty
The Red Devils reported record revenues last month of £666.5m in the financial year to June 2025, but a loss of £33m.
“We’re not seeing all the benefits of the restructuring that we’ve done in this set of [financial] results and we were not in the Champions League,” Ratcliffe said.
“Those numbers will get better. Manchester United will become the most profitable football club in the world, in my view, and from that will stem, I hope, a long‑term, sustainable, high level of football.”
Man United’s struggles on the pitch
United finished 15th last season and serious questions have been raised about manager Ruben Amorim.
He has picked up just 37 points from his 34 league games.
Ratcliffe has been a keen supporter of the Portuguese and says there will not be a kneejerk reaction.
“He has not had the best of seasons,” Ratcliffe added. “Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be.
“The press, sometimes I don’t understand. They want overnight success. They think it’s a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it’s all going to be roses tomorrow.
“You can’t run a club like Manchester United on kneejerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”