- The Glazers consider selling Man Utd stakes
- What it means for the club
- INEOS’ situation
Manchester United’s majority owners, the Glazer family, are reportedly considering selling their stake in the club. A report from Bloomberg suggests that the long-awaited end of the Glazer era at Old Trafford might finally be on the horizon.
More than two years after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS purchased a 29% minority stake to take control of football operations, it appears the American owners are looking at the exit door.
The report reveals that multiple stakeholders within the US-based billionaire family have been actively studying the possibility of divesting part or all of their remaining holdings in the club.
Glazers to go?
The discussions reportedly started with individual family members wanting to cash out. Now, those same individuals are actively working to convince the remaining family holdouts to join them in a coordinated, large-scale sale.
While the family as a whole hasn’t officially greenlit a complete exit, the fractures are showing, and the momentum is building. Following the news, United’s New York-listed shares spiked by 7% in after-hours trading.
The timing of these discussions makes perfect sense. On the pitch, things are looking up. Under Michael Carrick, United secured a brilliant third-place finish this season, guaranteeing a lucrative return to the UEFA Champions League.
This sporting success drastically boosts the club’s financial profile. Off the pitch, however, looms a massive multibillion-pound bill to build a proposed new 100,000-seater stadium or completely redevelop Old Trafford. Reports suggest the Glazers value their remaining stake at over £5 billion, a steep price tag that could attract wealthy US investors or Middle Eastern parties with the capital to fund the stadium project without saddling the club with further leverage.
A long time coming
Ever since Malcolm Glazer’s infamous leveraged buyout in 2005, United fans have endured over two decades of seeing the club starved of infrastructure investment while being drained by dividends and debt payments. Ratcliffe’s arrival brought a breath of fresh air to the sporting department, but as long as the Glazers hold the majority share, a dark cloud remains over Old Trafford.
Nothing is set in stone just yet, and getting all six siblings to agree on a valuation and a clean exit has always been the sticking point. But for the first time in twenty-one years, the wheels are turning internally. The end of the Glazers could finally be within reach.
