Mohammed Bin Salman’s ‘Man Utd demand’ as the Glazers maintain power
Man Utd: Fans protest against Glazers outside Old Trafford
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Mohammed Bin Salman told the Glazers he wanted full control of Manchester United before buying Newcastle instead. The Red Devils have been governed by the Americans since 2005. And, at the current moment in time, they have no plans to sell despite their poor standing amongst supporters.
It has been quite a week for fans of Newcastle.
The Mike Ashley era is no more, with the Toon now under new ownership with Bin Salman at the helm.
Newcastle are, due to their huge wealth, now expected to become a Premier League force in the coming years. If they beat the drop this year, that is.
But Bin Salman could easily have become United owner instead.
His interest in taking over United was first reported in 2018 and, in 2020, the Daily Mail confirmed he’d tried twice to make a breakthrough.
It was claimed, however, that his desire to take full control was a sticking point.
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The Glazers were only willing to entertain selling 20 per cent of their take in the club instead and Bin Salman, as a result, chose to walk away.
The Americans have since backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the transfer market.
Last summer, the likes of Edinson Cavani, Donny van de Beek, Alex Telles, Facundo Pellistri and Amad were brought in.
And, this year, United snapped up the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Tom Heaton.
However, they still have a huge amount of work to do if they’re to win round fans in the coming years ahead.
Many United supporters, and former players, were livid over the European Super League debacle back in April.
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The Glazers, along with the owners of Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, tried to form a new breakaway league.
They did this without consulting those whose voices are the most important in the game and fans responded by forcing United’s Premier League clash with Liverpool to be called off.
And even though they apologised, and backtracked, it still sparked a huge wave of fury over at the club.
Joel Glazer said: “Over the past few days, we have all witnessed the great passion which football generates, and the deep loyalty our fans have for this great club.
“You made very clear your opposition to the European Super League, and we have listened. We got it wrong, and we want to show that we can put things right.
“Although the wounds are raw and I understand that it will take time for the scars to heal, I am personally committed to rebuilding trust with our fans and learning from the message you delivered with such conviction.
“We continue to believe that European football needs to become more sustainable throughout the pyramid for the long-term. However, we fully accept that the Super League was not the right way to go about it.
“In seeking to create a more stable foundation for the game, we failed to show enough respect for its deep-rooted traditions – promotion, relegation, the pyramid – and for that we are sorry.
“This is the world’s greatest football club and we apologise unreservedly for the unrest caused during these past few days.
“It is important for us to put that right.
“Manchester United has a rich heritage and we recognise our responsibility to live up to its great traditions and values.
“The pandemic has thrown up so many unique challenges and we are proud of the way Manchester United and its fans from Manchester and around the world have reacted to the enormous pressures during this period.
“We also realise that we need to better communicate with you, our fans, because you will always be at the heart of the club.
“In the background, you can be sure that we will be taking the necessary steps to rebuild relationships with other stakeholders across the game, with a view to working together on solutions to the long-term challenges facing the football pyramid.
“Right now, our priority is to continue to support all of our teams as they push for the strongest possible finish to the season.
“In closing, I would like to recognise that it is your support which makes this club so great, and we thank you for that.”
Bin Salman and Newcastle, meanwhile, are planning for a brighter future.
And Steve Bruce is expected to soon be sacked, with several names in the frame to replace him.
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