Manchester United Takeover: Glazer Family, Sir Jim Ratcliffe & Sheikh Jassim Latest

There has been more talk about a potential takeover or investment in Manchester United amid growing fan unrest over the ownership of the club There has been a lot of talk over a potential takeover at Manchester United over the last few years. The Glazer family have owned United since June 2005, but amid the team’s struggles over the last few years there has been growing fan unrest towards the ownership. There is a protest planned ahead of the Premier League game against Fulham at the start of next month. The Glazers sold a minority stake of the club to Sir Jim Ratcliffe almost two years ago. However, against Burnley last week a banner criticising the co-owner was held up in the away end at Turf Moor when United took on Scott Parker's side in the Premier League, just days after the dismissal of manager Ruben Amorim. Speculation over a potential takeover started again back in October last year when Saudi sports promoter Turki Al-Sheikh suggested a deal was imminent with posts on social media. Any potential move failed to come to fruition. There is still, however, talk of potential investment at Old Trafford as plans for the future are put in place. With that in mind, here is a look at the latest. FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE!Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page Glazers theory Former chief executive of Premier League clubs Keith Wyness has shared a theory over investment plans for Manchester United. He believes that the club will need additional income to help fund the plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium. Speaking to Football Insider, he said: "I've got no doubt there are discussions, and it's the Glazers that hold the key at the moment, and I've got no doubt discussions have happened about the Glazers either bringing in another partner or selling it in some position, and I think Ratcliffe would have little choice on that. "See the big ramifications of the problems that INEOS have brought on themselves now is things like the debt pile that's still there in his own company, which means that they will not be able to finance through INEOS or give the proper guarantees, possibly for things like the stadium. "Now that's a big long-term project that all the fans were told to buy into. If you like, it was the showpiece of the whole INEOS tenure, that they wanted to show that we’re going to be moving forward and the great new Old Trafford project was going to be born and with the circus tent. "And it was impressive, but I’m just wondering now how that could be financed in the same way without bringing in outside finance in a more expensive way and that’s going to put more pressure on them." Sir Jim Ratcliffe timeline If the Glazers do decide to sell the company, then a ‘drag along rights’ clause in the agreement when the minority stake was sold to Ratcliffe would become active. It basically puts a timeline on any full sale of the club. As reported by the Athletic, if the Glazers wanted to fully sell the club before February next year, then the price of Ratcliffe’s share would have to be above the $33 million (£24.5m) that he paid. However, after that date, the Glazers can accept any price they want and Ratcliffe would be ‘dragged along’ with the sale, even if it loses him money. Sheikh Jassim decision Back in 2023, the Glazers were in takeover talks with Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim, with the company Nine Two Foundation set up to complete the takeover. A statement at the time read: "Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani today [Friday February 17] confirmed his submission of a bid for 100 per cent of Manchester United Football Club. "The bid plans to return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch, and - above all - will seek to place the fans at the heart of Manchester United Football Club once more. "The bid will be completely debt free via Sheikh Jassim's Nine Two Foundation, which will look to invest in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience and the communities the club supports. "The vision of the bid is for Manchester United Football Club to be renowned for footballing excellence, and regarded as the greatest football club in the world. "More details of the bid will be released, when appropriate, if and when the bid process develops." Nothing ever came of the bid, with the Glazers instead opting to sell a minority share to Ratcliffe. It seems that Jassim has now given up on completing a takeover through the company. Records on Companies House show that the Nine Two Foundation company was dissolved via a voluntary strike-off back in September 2024, after notice was given three months earlier.