Man Utd ‘talks taking place’ for Glazers to sell club to American i…

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Manchester United owners, the Glazer family, are engaged in negotiations to sell the club to investment companies in the United States, according to new reports. The Glazers are rumoured to have been searching for new investment in recent months, but there is a lingering feeling that they are ready to jump ship and complete a full-scale sale.

Since their controversial takeover of United in 2005, their unpopularity throughout the club’s fanbase has spiralled out of control due to ever-growing debt, regular dividends being withdrawn and a simultaneous lack of investment into crucial facilities.

And with the Red Devils in the planning phase of redeveloping Old Trafford, many have questioned whether the Glazers would be around to fund it. Reports of Liverpool’s American owners, FSG putting the club up for sale have intensified supporters’ discontent.

However, a takeover that would see the Glazers end their 17-year reign at the top of the hierarchy could be progressing behind the scenes. That’s according to British agent Haydn Dodge, who has claimed talks with American suitors are ongoing.

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He told CaughtOffside: “Every penny will always be scrutinised and chastised due to their public nature. Old Trafford needs a revamp as well, so that’s a big problem, and the owners know they are continually under the microscope. There are talks taking place to sell the club with investment companies in the United States, but, as usual, everyone involved has been forced to sign non-disclosure agreements.”

Due to the nature of non-disclosure agreements, it’s unlikely any concrete takeover news would be confirmed until a deal was agreed or close. Dodge added that the Glazers’ valuation of United is just under £4billion, which would be less than the £4.25billion the Todd Boehly-led consortium committed to buying Chelsea from Roman Abramovich in May.

The Red Devils’ fanbase has called on fellow United fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Britain’s richest man, to buy the club after his Chelsea offer. But in October, the 69-year-old revealed the Glazers had told him that the club wasn’t for sale… or at least not to him.

“It is owned by the six children of the father, and they don’t want to sell,” Ratcliffe told a Financial Times Live conference. “I met Joel and Avram, and they are the nicest people. They are proper gentlemen. If it had been for sale in the summer, yes, we would probably have had a go following on from the Chelsea thing. But we can’t sit around hoping that one day Manchester United will become available.”

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