# Finnish businessman Zilliacus ready to pay premium for Manchester United
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-03-24
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Finnish Entrepreneur Bids for Manchester United, Offers
Meta Description: Thomas Zilliacus offers premium bid for English soccer club, aiming to involve fans in decision-making. Potential sale may exceed $5.2 billion record.
URL: https://financedigest.com/finnish-businessman-zilliacus-ready-to-pay-premium-for-manchester-unitedhtml

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By Akash Sriram

(Reuters) – Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus has placed a bid for Manchester United and is willing to pay a premium for the English soccer club, the former Nokia executive told Reuters on Thursday.

A small portion of the club’s shares is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The market [capitalization was more than $4 billion as of Wednesday’s close](https://www.financedigest.com/galois-capital-flagship-fund-to-close-after-ftx-losses.html "Galois Capital flagship fund to close after FTX losses").

We are willing and [expect to go higher than that $3.9 billion,”](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-big-banks-expected-to-rack-up-more-than-1-billion-in-fines-for-whatsapp-use.html "Factbox-Big banks expected to rack up more than  billion in fines for WhatsApp use") Zilliacus said in a statement.

United’s current owners, the Glazer family, began looking at options including new investment or a potential sale in November, 17 [years after they bought the record 20-time English champions for 790 million pounds](https://www.financedigest.com/commonenergy-mistakes-costing-homeowners-hundreds-of-pounds-each-year.html "Commonenergy mistakes costing homeowners hundreds of pounds each year") ($971.70 million).

Zilliacus said he hoped the Glazer family would want “to go down in history as sellers who enabled the [fans of Manchester United to become owners](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-manchester-united-fans-want-more-say-under-any-new-owners.html "Soccer-Manchester United fans want more say under any new owners") of the club.

As part of the bid, he [expects to invite fans of the club from around](https://www.financedigest.com/polyimide-fibers-market-is-expected-to-increase-at-a-healthy-cagr-of-around-5-over-the-forecast-period-of-2021-2031.html "Polyimide Fibers Market is expected to increase at a healthy CAGR of around 5% over the forecast period of 2021-2031") the world to be co-owners and make sporting decisions for the team.

I want the fans to feel that they have a [say in all the key sporting decisions](https://www.financedigest.com/survey-data-28-brits-say-brexit-sped-decision-buy-uk-holiday-home-year.html "Survey Data: 28% of Brits Say Brexit Has Sped Up Their Decision to Buy a UK Holiday Home This Year") of the club,” Zilliacus said.

[Manchester United](https://www.financedigest.com/manchester-united-tanks-on-report-glazers-may-avoid-sale-with-new-investment.html "Manchester United tanks on report Glazers may avoid sale with new investment") declined to comment.

Any sale of the club would likely exceed the biggest sports [deal so far – the $5.2 billion including debt](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-no-china-no-deal-bid-to-break-sovereign-debt-logjams-gets-weary-thumbs-up.html "Analysis-No China, no deal: Bid to break sovereign debt logjams gets weary thumbs up") and investments paid for Chelsea – sources had told Reuters previously.

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, a life-long [United fan](https://www.financedigest.com/fan-coil-unit-market-growth-sturdy-at-3-6-cagr-to-outstrip-us-8339-9-mn-by-2027-tmr.html "Fan Coil Unit Market Growth Sturdy at 3.6 % CAGR to Outstrip US$ 8,339.9 Mn By 2027 – TMR") and founder of chemicals producer INEOS, put in a bid for the club in February.

($1 = 0.8130 pounds)

(Reporting by Akash Sriram and Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)


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