Report: Manchester United Not for Sale Amid Saudi Crown Prince Interest Rumours
Manchester United's owners, the Glazer family, are reportedly not interested in selling the club amid speculation of interest from the ruler of Saudi Arabia.
According to Kaveh Solhekol at Sky Sports, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, "one of the richest and most powerful men in the world," would like to invest in a major European football club.
Manchester United is valued at over £3 billion, but a sale would only be considered if an offer of at least £4 billion was tabled, according to the report.
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The Glazer family took over Manchester United in 2005 in a move that angered supporters. A group of fans even launched a new team, FC United of Manchester, in opposition to the takeover.
Since then, the Glazers have taken almost £1 billion out of the club in "interest, costs, fees and dividends," according to David Conn at the Guardian.
The team are enduring a tough start to the 2018-19 season. They have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and are down in eighth place in the Premier League.
Football writer Scott Patterson said the Glazers are the root of the club's problems:
In stark contrast, their locals rivals, Manchester City, have been thriving since being taken over by Sheikh Mansour of the Abu Dhabi ruling family. He has spent more than £1.3 billion on the Citizens since 2008, per Conn.
In that time, Manchester City have risen to the top of English football and gone on to win three Premier League titles and the FA Cup. They are currently top of the table and the team to beat in England under manager Pep Guardiola.
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's family is said to be worth £850 billion. He wants to invest in football to "take on Middle East rivals like the Abu Dhabi-based owners of Manchester City", per The Sun's Dan King.
Football journalist Dale O'Donnell offered his view of a potential Saudi takeover:
Manchester United's share price "surged in New York" after reports of a potential Saudi takeover of the club, according to Sky News. The Glazers are yet to comment on the speculation, and it's unclear if they have any interest in selling at this stage.
