Club Sale | It’s done!

[Pexbo]

Whatever happens, I can't see how we avoid this upcoming transfer window being massively underwhelming. I just don't think we're going to be in a very competitive position. Can also see us ending up with Martial as our first choice striker again due to current market valuations.

If Qatar take us over I expect us to shift a lot of dead wood and buy four or five statement signings. I don’t think they will be using FFP as an excuse and as FFP is balanced over 5 years I expect they will be speculating to accumulate and we will see them looking to land some big sponsorship deals based on us being a shiny new product with massive plans to balance it out plus the fact we will have around £250m extra over five years saved from dividends and interest charges.


If it’s Jim I expect them to be far more cautious using FFP as an excuse to be conservative and start the new era sensibly. Fans will be thrown a bone in the shape of one statement signing. Basically another summer under Glazernomics.

 

[fjred]

What is your thought process behind this? He has offered more, so has not needed to 'manouvre'. But why do you think he couldn't increase his offer for 69% by another £100-200m and end this?



Yeah they've not proven to be very good negotiators so far. We've heard twice now of take it or leave it offers, we've heard that they 'won't be held to ransom' etc. Yet they're still offering more money and still not beating the SJR valuation of the club.

As I said we don't know anything. We are feeding off reports. He may increase his offer by'£100-200m' but the Qataris are still in a position to offer a lot more if they want. The 'thought process' is simple negotiation by the Glazers. There's nothing complicated about it.

 

[croadyman]

Qatar's new offer is still less than the Ineos offer. True, Qatar have closed £600m of the reported £800m gap, but the Ineos bid is still the biggest one on the table.

The caveat is that it is rather difficult to be certain about the veracity of the reported figures.

Exactly Jassim needs to find a way of closing that gap or Ratcliffe remains in driving seat

 

[Infra-red]

Whatever happens, I can't see how we avoid this upcoming transfer window being massively underwhelming. I just don't think we're going to be in a very competitive position. Can also see us ending up with Martial as our first choice striker again due to current market valuations.

I assume that the club included the upcoming transfer window spend projections in the forecasts given to the prospective buyers, so Murtough et al should be able to push ahead with their targets relatively unimpeded by the takeover talk. The situation is not ideal, but I hope that the takeover won't adversely impact the summer plans.

If the club pay down the £200m credit facility as mentioned in the last quarter financial reports, then United will effectively be using the credit card for summer purchases.

 

[Wibble]

There is no evidence it's a state bid; say that louder for those at the back.

I have a bridge in London for sale if you are interested.

 

[AlPistacho]

Is anyone surprised there are not more parties interested? I think the Glazers must have thought there’d be at least 4 or so buyers. I also thought there’d be much more… at the initial stage then many dropping out with 3-4 remaining near the end.

Surprised there’s no consortiums. Thought there’d also be one multi billionaire from the USA or SE Asia

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Start the damn sale before I piss myself.

 

[croadyman]

well their 3rd round bid was also reported as a take it or leave it offer, so who know how many take it or leave it offers are more to come from both.

I do think this is Jassim's last bid so cannot understand why he didn't offer something which overall reached £6bn AND meant those leeches got more money each instead of less

 

[peridigm]

erm No.

Chelsea looks bad because the owner decided to go buybplayers himself. I hope our new owners have plans in place in case they win the biddingz plans that include the transfer budget, and who will oversee that budget.

Plot twist. Class of 92 Foundation board members are none other than the Class of 92.

 

[AlPistacho]

erm No.

Chelsea looks bad because the owner decided to go buybplayers himself. I hope our new owners have plans in place in case they win the biddingz plans that include the transfer budget, and who will oversee that budget.

Murtough / Arnold best for now because of the working relationship with ETH

 

[RedDevilRoshi]

Not really his biggest fan but couldn’t agree more with what Kaveh Solhekol said about how this whole takeover situation has gone. It’s just beyond ridiculous. Fast becoming even more of a bigger circus than it already is the longer this just keeps dragging and dragging on with no expected conclusion on what the Glazers want to do.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

If Qatar take us over I expect us to shift a lot of dead wood and buy four or five statement signings. I don’t think they will be using FFP as an excuse and as FFP is balanced over 5 years I expect they will be speculating to accumulate and we will see them looking to land some big sponsorship deals based on us being a shiny new product with massive plans to balance it out plus the fact we will have around £250m extra over five years saved from dividends and interest charges.


If it’s Jim I expect them to be far more cautious using FFP as an excuse to be conservative and start the new era sensibly. Fans will be thrown a bone in the shape of one statement signing. Basically another summer under Glazernomics.

Jaysus, Pex. You really have drunk the kool aid.

 

[Infra-red]

Is anyone surprised there are not more parties interested? I think the Glazers must have thought there’d be at least 4 or so buyers. I also thought there’d be much more… at the initial stage then many dropping out with 3-4 remaining near the end.

Surprised there’s no consortiums. Thought there’d also be one multi billionaire from the USA or SE Asia

I thought there would be more, yes. Chelsea had many more interested parties (albeit at a much lower valuation), which is probably, in part, what convinced the Glazers to explore a sale and, like Chelsea, to employ Raine to manage the process. They will be very disappointed that a bidding war never really emerged.

 

[TsuWave]

I dont know but being out of that arms race might not be the worst thing in the world. United's revenue will only increase, even if we aren't state backed.

My main argument is that completely selling out the club's soul no longer guarantees any more success than we're getting now. If that's the case, what's the point?

City have won 5 of the last 6 titles (including this one, because let's be real) and are on course for a treble. Newcastle has barely started their "project" and already muscled their way into top4. United's revenue won't just increase out of nowhere, contrary to what a lot of people believe - financial growth is correlated to success on the pitch, a scenario like the one you described; in which half of the league is state backed, and if United isn't, is the end of the club (at least as we know it).

 

[croadyman]

Murtough / Arnold best for now because of the working relationship with ETH

No more trips to Barca for De Jong though

 

[croadyman]

Oh dear Henry Winter you may want Ratcliffe to become owner but no chance in hell it's without those leeches involved

 

[dacore]

Would be really surprised if the Glazers don't choose Jim as the preferred bidder next week or so. In that way they force Jassim to put in another bigger offer.

 

[Pexbo]

Jaysus, Pex. You really have drunk the kool aid.

What are you disagreeing with exactly?

1. How I would expect a club that is clearly state owned, sportwashing enterprise and private business to operate?
2. How I would expect a 51% owned, with Glazer minority shareholders, still servicing the best part of a billion in debt, still publishing public financials, no tangible plans to overhaul decaying infrastructure to operate?

 

[Strootman's Finger]

erm No.

Chelsea looks bad because the owner decided to go buybplayers himself. I hope our new owners have plans in place in case they win the biddingz plans that include the transfer budget, and who will oversee that budget.

I'm not defending that shitshow of a club, but they looked bad because all their targets were taken and when they tried to get involved in the end they were outbid, then they had to go for all their back up options. Admittedly, Boehly certainly played a part, firing everyone, and signing his players, but it's the first part we are trying to avoid and it's a very real possibility for us.

 

[Dan_F]

If Qatar take us over I expect us to shift a lot of dead wood and buy four or five statement signings. I don’t think they will be using FFP as an excuse and as FFP is balanced over 5 years I expect they will be speculating to accumulate and we will see them looking to land some big sponsorship deals based on us being a shiny new product with massive plans to balance it out plus the fact we will have around £250m extra over five years saved from dividends and interest charges.


If it’s Jim I expect them to be far more cautious using FFP as an excuse to be conservative and start the new era sensibly. Fans will be thrown a bone in the shape of one statement signing. Basically another summer under Glazernomics.

Four or five statement signings? Isn’t that what Chelsea did last summer. Four signings over 40 million. Didn’t work, panicked in January. Bought in another four.

Why would Qatar go after big sponsorship deals but Jim wouldn’t? Unless you’re insinuating we’d do a City and artificially inflate them.

 

[Blood Mage]

The transfer window is going to be a trainwreck now I reckon. Fair chance our rivals all strengthen and pull away from us.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

That’s not explained. You’re just quoting a bid that went out the window many weeks ago.
You’re quoting outdated news here buddy. He’s moved from 69 percent to full buy out in 4 years or something stupid.

In addition to Ratcliffe’s offer to buy the Glazers’ 69 per cent shareholding, the billionaire founder of the petrochemicals giant Ineos also made a proposal to take a 50.1 per cent share for around $3bn that would allow the Glazers to retain a minority stake for three years before being automatically forced out.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/05/16/manchester-united-takeover-qatar-sheikh-jassim-bid/

 

[croadyman]

The transfer window is going to be a trainwreck now I reckon. Fair chance our rivals all strengthen and pull away from us.

Take a train wreck of Min-Jae,Rabiot & ST

 

[Woziak]

Tbf SJ bid has also changed throughout the process probably due to the collapse of the Suisse Bank, they might not want to spend upwards of £7bn which is what the initial bid would have to be to win!

So many fans think that the Super rich Qatar vs the poor British billionaire SJR, I’m not buying it, they’ve been outbid now on four occasions and throwing their weight around about last chance saloon whilst obviously misreading the room, the fans care about investment, stadium renovation but the Glazers don’t give a s…..and never did, they are the worst owners in the history of the game.

If the only way to remove them from controlling power and influence is to buy 51% of the club which allows SJR to get his foot under the table, whilst not ideal is a million per cent better than all 6 staying into next season.

He had upto £4-4.5bn available to buy out 69% of the club but clearly thought that Mega Rich Qatar might break the bank and bid £6-7bn they didn’t and won’t, people have not considered that he still has that £1.5bn which can be used to pay the debt, invest in the squad and start Stadium Refurbishment whilst United are owned by INEOS, the two parasites are in the background but SJR will want them out within 2 years.

Everyone keeps going on about Qatar spending huge sums on players, well they’ve not outbid SJR once yet so what makes fans think they will, City about to win a treble with their sworn enemies Abu Dhabi doing something they could not at PSG win a CL with City.

I’ve always been neutral, for me it’s ABG to take control however I’m yet to be convinced that is s state bid, it’s not aggressive enough to be that plus if it was it would be done already with a £6.5 billion bid on the third bid.

This is a test run for a Qatar wanting to own a PL club after been granted approval from Uefa, Fifa and EPL, they are using their name and promises of potential
Business deals to entice the Glazers with a future pot of Gold in the Middle East.

Just consider for one second Joel and Avram don’t want to leave and don’t have to with SJR bid so why pick SJ, they won’t !

And Finally Why would Darcie, Kevin, Edward and Bryan chose the £672m on offer from SJ over the £750m from SJR plus the two brother who don’t want to leave and now don’t have to !

Yes I know that they don’t have equal shares because some of them have sold some of their shares but collectively that’s what the two deals represent.

If anyone will be threatening to pull out of this protracted negotiations, it will be SJR and probably by the end of next week!

 

[Tom Van Persie]

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[Rhyme Animal]

Roman also wanted what was best for Chelsea. The Glazer’s by my understanding couldn’t give a flying pony about our club or the local area.

Yeah, I imagine they are looking at Qatar's bid and thinking all that money they're saying they will spend on the area/stadium looks better in their bank account

The fan PR battle won't convince the Glazer's. They only care about what they get. If they got 6.1 billion from someone who said they will demolish the club they would sell

At least that's my impression

Completely agree, and would go further to say that I personally think the Glazers actually resent Utd fans quite a lot.

They strike me as very arrogant and out of touch, they are very likely surrounded by ‘yes men’ and coupled with their almost surreal privilege I think they probably feel slighted by their unpopularity and failure at Utd.

Just my opinion, but I think they’d begrudge a new owner coming in and being immediately popular for clearing their disgraceful debt and actually putting back into the local community - as an owner should.

I thought there would be more, yes. Chelsea had many more interested parties (albeit at a much lower valuation), which is probably, in part, what convinced the Glazers to explore a sale and, like Chelsea, to employ Raine to manage the process. They will be very disappointed that a bidding war never really emerged.

Perhaps if they hadn’t wrecked the club, saddled it with a crippling debt and let the stadium fall into disrepair they would’ve experienced more interest.

Hopefully they make their minds up soon, because this process now is disruptive for Manchester United and degrading to the club as a whole.

It’s gone on long enough, and it’s time they showed a smidgeon of respect for the club that has enabled their great wealth.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

What are you disagreeing with exactly?

1. How I would expect a club that is clearly state owned, sportwashing enterprise and private business to operate?
2. How I would expect a 51% owned, with Glazer minority shareholders, still servicing the best part of a billion in debt, still publishing public financials, no tangible plans to overhaul decaying infrastructure to operate?

Ok, Pex. I’ll take your word for it. I can see huge unknowns about everything to do with both these potential owners. But I envy your certainty. It must be comforting.

 

[Solius]

Hi. Maybe if someone Plants a bid bigger than 0 we can get x amount of money to spend. Like 84m or something.

 

[Chief123]

Is anyone surprised there are not more parties interested? I think the Glazers must have thought there’d be at least 4 or so buyers. I also thought there’d be much more… at the initial stage then many dropping out with 3-4 remaining near the end.

Surprised there’s no consortiums. Thought there’d also be one multi billionaire from the USA or SE Asia

Im not surprised because the truth is the asking price is heavily over valued.

 

[NotThatSoph]

Don't bother, these 'ard Brexit types just think water is dry until you prove otherwise and somehow that works in their mind.

Do you believe City is privately owned?

 

[Ted Lasso]

If you hadn't believed it before, this fiasco surely confirms the Glazers are no good for United. Having them continue to own the club in any capacity is the worst outcome possible.

 

[Coops73]

Not really his biggest fan but couldn’t agree more with what Kaveh Solhekol said about how this whole takeover situation has gone. It’s just beyond ridiculous. Fast becoming even more of a bigger circus than it already is the longer this just keeps dragging and dragging on with no expected conclusion on what the Glazers want to do.

Yeah, he’s not wrong, this wonderful club of ours has a rich history, through utter tragedy we’ve built a history like no other club out there and these horrible, horrible cnuts treat it with utter contempt.

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

Hi. Maybe if someone Plants a bid bigger than 0 we can get x amount of money to spend. Like 84m or something.

Hi, that's a good idea but let's not go Planting idea's about bid's bigger than £0 or X amount of funds, it's been 84 days since we have had any real information so I can see this dragging out for a while yet

 

[Andre Kagawa]

I'm a newbie and still have more access to this thread than @Plant0x84

 

[redNATION]

Is it too soon to buy my split Utd /Qatar top?

 

[Pexbo]

Ok, Pex. I’ll take your word for it. I can see huge unknowns about everything to do with both these potential owners. But I envy your certainty. It must be comforting.

Where’s the certainty? I’m predicting what I think an Oil state would do vs what I think a conservative billionaire will do, taking into account the context of each ownership based on what is public about their bids.

What I have suggested Qatar do isn’t my dream scenario by any stretch, I’d actually prefer that we stick with Murtough/Fletcher/ten Hag and purchase sensibly and maintain a bit of consistency with the squad. I’d also rather we don’t go down the City route of inflated sponsors and doping but that’s what I expect from Qatar - we’re going to be a big shiny toy that has to be the biggest and shiniest in the world.

 

[The Irish Connection]

Not really his biggest fan but couldn’t agree more with what Kaveh Solhekol said about how this whole takeover situation has gone. It’s just beyond ridiculous. Fast becoming even more of a bigger circus than it already is the longer this just keeps dragging and dragging on with no expected conclusion on what the Glazers want to do.

Exactly how they managed transfers.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Where’s the certainty? I’m predicting what I think an Oil state would do vs what I think a conservative billionaire will do, taking into account the context of each ownership based on what is public about their bids.

What I have suggested Qatar do isn’t my dream scenario by any stretch, I’d actually prefer that we stick with Murtough/Fletcher/ten Hag and purchase sensibly and maintain a bit of consistency with the squad. I’d also rather we don’t go down the City route of inflated sponsors and doping but that’s what I expect from Qatar - we’re going to be a big shiny toy that has to be the biggest and shiniest in the world.

But we just don't know what will happen. Look at Chelsea vs Newcastle this season after they were bought out. If you didn't know better you'd assume Newcastle were privately owned and Chelsea the sports-washing project.

 

[Member 101269]

I have a bridge in London for sale if you are interested.

Congratulations; im sure you'll appreciate that with any purchase you'd have to prove ownership. Your attempted analogy just doesn't work in favour of those spouting off that it's a state bid.

 

[kafta]

Only the glazers can make the process of selling the club, with ready buyers, this slow and boring. Just feck off. We have an epic summer window to look forward to damn it!