Glazers’ Preferred Bidder Rumors Cause Stock Market Decline for Manchester United

On Thursday, there was a significant decline of 9.5 percent in Manchester United’s share price, coinciding with reports suggesting that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the preferred bidder for a takeover by the Glazer family.

The stock’s value on the New York Stock Exchange experienced a drop from $20.30 to $18.37, directly influenced by the circulating speculation. Notably, the share price has witnessed a year-to-date decrease of 19.29 percent since January 1, with the figures accurate as of Friday morning on May 12.

In November, the Glazer family publicly announced that the board of Manchester United was actively exploring “strategic alternatives for the club,” marking the beginning of the takeover process. Since then, potential bidders have been undergoing various stages of evaluation. This has sparked hope among fans that a decision regarding the sale of the club could be drawing near.

According to a report from The Sun on Wednesday evening, the Glazers have reportedly expressed a preference for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s offer over Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani’s proposal.

It is said that Sheikh Jassim aims to acquire 100 percent ownership of the club, while Ratcliffe’s plan would involve him taking majority control while Avram and Joel Glazer would remain as minority shareholders.

According to the article, if the bid from the Failsworth-born businessman, who is a lifelong supporter of Manchester United, is successful, it could result in the departure of several senior officials at the club, including CEO Richard Arnold. These rumors had a negative impact on the stock market.

Reports suggest that the Glazer family had initially set a price tag of £6 billion for the sale of Manchester United, but both of the main bidders submitted offers below that figure. It is worth noting that Sir Jim Ratcliffe also owns the French club OGC Nice.

Under current UEFA regulations, clubs with the same owner are not permitted to participate in the same European competition. However, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin hinted earlier this year that these rules could be subject to change.

When asked about any potential negative reaction to Ratcliffe’s bid for Manchester United at OGC Nice, the club’s manager, Didier Digard, stated this week: “No, very sincerely.”

“For me, Manchester United is something else. I don’t think we’re dependent on that at all.”

“The boss has made such an investment in Nice that, sincerely, if he can give himself the gift of Manchester United, I would be happy for him because we know that it is something that is close to his heart.”

“Above all else we know that he won’t disengage from OGC Nice. So, for us, that won’t change anything.”

“I can guarantee to you that people are giving 100 per cent to make this club grow.”