# Soccer-Manchester United fans want more say under any new owners
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-11-24
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Manchester United Needs New Owners and Fresh Investment,
Meta Description: Manchester United fans demand new ownership and investment to revive the club's fortunes. Join the voice for change now.
URL: https://financedigest.com/soccer-manchester-united-fans-want-more-say-under-any-new-ownershtml

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By Alan Baldwin

(Reuters) -Manchester United needs new owners and fresh investment to halt years of decline and fans should be given a real say in how the club is run in future, the Supporters Trust MUST said on Wednesday.

The Premier League club’s U.S. owners are looking at options for the 20-time English champions, including new [investment or a potential sale](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"), 17 years after the Glazer family bought the club.

Our club [needs new investment](https://www.financedigest.com/anyone-can-write-assignment-need-people-able-apply-new-skills-workplace-says-top-investment-management-company.html "“Anyone can write an assignment, but we need people to be able to apply their new skills to the workplace,” says top investment management company") more than ever. That requires new ownership,” MUST, the [leading fan group](https://www.financedigest.com/leading-financial-advisory-group-bolster-offering-with-senior-appointment.html "Leading financial advisory group bolster offering with senior appointment"), said in a statement responding to news that some said would feel like winning a title if the owners left.

Any new ownership structure must embed supporters, including a degree of fan share ownership, in their [operating model.”](https://www.financedigest.com/is-this-the-start-of-the-race-to-redefine-the-banking-operating-model.html "Is this the start of the race to redefine the banking operating model?")

The news of a potential sale, which broke on Tuesday, triggered jubilation and some trepidation in online chatrooms and fan [forums at what the future](https://www.financedigest.com/young-leaders-forum-jamal-edwards-on-the-past-present-and-future.html "Young Leaders Forum: Jamal Edwards on the past, present and future") might hold.

I hope this isn’t an out of the [frying pan](https://www.financedigest.com/out-of-the-frying-pan.html "OUT OF THE FRYING PAN…") and into the fire situation,” declared one fan on the r/reddevils forum on reddit.

[Supporters have sought a change of ownership for more than a decade and the clamour has grown louder with a lack of success](https://www.financedigest.com/strategic-budgeting-ensures-success-of-community-support-programs.html "Strategic Budgeting Ensures Success of Community Support Programs") on the field.

Thousands protested outside Old Trafford in April, [lighting flares and singing songs demanding](https://www.financedigest.com/lights-maker-signify-cuts-annual-outlook-on-lower-consumer-demand-china-woes.html "Lights maker Signify cuts annual outlook on lower consumer demand, China woes") the Glazers “get out of the club.

United have won nothing [since they lifted the Europa League](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-arsenal-reach-womens-champions-league-semis-for-first-time-since-2013.html "Soccer-Arsenal reach Women’s Champions League semis for first time since 2013") and League Cup trophies in 2017 and their world-renowned Old Trafford home and training facilities are also in need of an update.

“The Glazers, they don’t care about the club or professional sport. Manchester (United) is a [marketing club,” Portuguese](https://www.financedigest.com/golden-sunshine-and-golden-visas-draw-wealthy-foreigners-from-far-and-wide-to-portuguese-property-market.html "Golden sunshine and golden visas draw wealthy foreigners from far and wide to Portuguese property market") forward Cristiano Ronaldo said this month in an explosive interview that led to his departure.

Duncan Drasdo, the MUST chief executive, told Sky Sports television “the real [way to unlock the value](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-maximise-the-value-of-instant-payments.html "5 ways to maximise the value of instant payments") of Manchester United is to work in partnership with the fans, not exploit them as customers.

We want the [opportunity to be partners with new investors,”](https://www.financedigest.com/the-vc-opportunity-breaking-down-barriers-for-private-investors.html "The VC opportunity: breaking down barriers for private investors ") he added.

Drasdo said fans were not looking at who might be the richest bidders, with plenty of speculation focusing on [potential Middle Eastern investors](https://www.financedigest.com/virgin-orbit-says-space-startup-in-talks-with-potential-investors.html "Virgin Orbit says space startup in talks with potential investors") as well as British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.

“We want people who want to own the club and have the same ideals and goals as fans rather than looking to extract value for themselves,” he added.

Ratcliffe, a lifelong United fan who heads chemicals company INEOS, said last month he had contacted the Glazer family about [buying United](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-competition-watchdog-to-examine-edf-buying-ges-nuclear-turbine-unit.html "UK’s competition watchdog to examine EDF buying GE’s nuclear turbine unit") but was told the club was not for sale.

The Daily Telegraph [reported on Wednesday that he had a serious interest in buying the club and would bid](https://www.financedigest.com/tim-shares-slide-as-reported-grid-bids-disappoint.html "TIM shares slide as reported grid bids disappoint"). The Financial Times said David Beckham, who spent over a decade at the club, was also [open to holding](https://www.financedigest.com/what-does-2022-hold-for-open-banking-some-predictions-from-the-ecosystem.html "What does 2022 hold for open banking? Some predictions from the ecosystem") talks with potential bidders.

Ratcliffe’s name was widely mentioned among fans as someone many would welcome, although there were [fears he might be priced](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-prices-rise-on-u-s-drawdown-chinese-fears-weigh.html "Oil prices rise on U.S. drawdown, Chinese fears weigh") out with some estimates putting the club’s worth at more than $4.5 billion.

“Sir Jim Ratcliffe is our saviour lads,” said fan @CantonasCollar on Twitter, although others sounded a note of caution.

“Until we know who’s buying, there cannot be any celebration,” wrote a supporter on TheRepublikOfMancunia.org forum.

“Only when the Glazers are out the door will I give in to the excitement,” said another.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Pritha Sarkar)


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