The Glazer family could be following Cristiano Ronaldo away from Manchester United after opening the door to selling the club.
Just a couple of hours after the mutually agreed exit of their most prominent asset following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, far more important news arrived for fans long opposed to the unpopular American owners .
After 17 years at the helm, the Glazers now look set to relinquish control after the club announced it was “exploring strategic alternatives” which include a sale.
United said the board is embarking on a process “designed to enhance the future growth of the club” with the intention of maximizing opportunities on and off the pitch.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 16: General view of the interior of the stadium before the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on October 16, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 16: General view of the interior of the stadium before the Premier League match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on October 16, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)A club statement said: “As part of this process, the board will consider all strategic alternatives, including further investment in the club, a sale or other transactions involving the company.
“This will include an assessment of various initiatives to strengthen the club, including stadium and infrastructure redevelopment, and the expansion of the club’s commercial operations on a global scale, each in the context of enhancing the teams’ long-term success the club’s men’s, women’s and men’s academy teams and bringing benefits to fans and other stakeholders.”
It could mean another high-profile sale at the top of the Premier League after it was revealed in recent weeks that Fenway Sports Group was exploring a sale of Liverpool. In the summer, Todd Boehly bought Chelsea for £2.5 billion, the highest price ever paid for a sports club anywhere in the world.
According to Forbes, Man United are the third most valuable club in the world, behind only Barcelona and Real Madrid, to make them the most expensive outfit in the Premier League. Forbes estimates valued Chelsea at $3.1 billion, with Boehly’s purchase costing $3.2 billion after converting from pounds to dollars.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 10: Players from both teams walk onto the pitch as fans display ‘Glazers Out’ banners during the Carabao Cup third round match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on November 10, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Below are the 20 most valuable football teams in the world, with Yorkshire’s only Premier League team Leeds United making the cut.
The most valuable soccer teams in the world
1) Real Madrid – 5.1 billion dollars 2) Barcelona – 5.1 billion dollars3) Manchester United: $4.6 billion 4) Liverpool: $4.45 billion5) Bayern Munich: $4.275 billion6) Manchester City: $4.25 billion7) Paris Saint-Germain: $3.2 billion8) Chelsea: $3.1 billion9) Juventus: $2.45 billion10) Tottenham: $2.35 billion 11) Arsenal: $2.05 billion12) Borussia Dortmund: $1.8 billion13) Atletico Madrid: $1.5 billion14) AC Milan: $1.2 billion15) Inter Milan: $1 billion16) Everton: $940 million17) Leicester City: $925 million18) West Ham: $900 million19) Leeds United: $800 million20) Aston Villa: $750 million
