Glazers reduce ties with Ronaldo, verify Manchester United potential sale

The Glazer household is working with monetary advisers on the method, which might additionally result in a partial sale of the membership or investments together with stadium and infrastructure redevelopment, the workforce confirmed in a press release Tuesday.

“As we search to proceed constructing on the membership’s historical past of success, the board has licensed a radical analysis of strategic options,” Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer, government co-chairmen and administrators of Manchester United, stated within the assertion. “We are going to consider all choices to make sure that we finest serve our followers.”

The Raine Group is advising Manchester United on the method, whereas Rothschild and Co. is appearing as monetary adviser to the Glazer household. 

Manchester United’s US-listed shares jumped as a lot as 19% after Sky Information earlier reported the plans. They closed up 15% to $14.94 in New York.

Bloomberg Information reported in August that the Glazers would take into account promoting a minority stake in Manchester United, and {that a} deal might worth the membership at about £5 billion ($6 billion).

The sale of all or a part of Manchester United would doubtless appeal to a bunch of big-name buyers. In Could, rival English Premiership membership Chelsea FC was offered to American billionaire Todd Boehly and personal fairness agency Clearlake Capital in a £4.25 billion deal, after a aggressive public sale course of.

Nevertheless, buyers will likely be shopping for right into a membership that’s simply parted methods with arguably its most well-known participant. A public spat between Manchester United administration and Previous Trafford legend Cristiano Ronaldo got here to an finish earlier on Tuesday when the membership introduced it had reached a mutual settlement for Ronaldo to depart the group. 

Ronaldo’s departure takes place “with speedy impact,” the membership stated. He rejoined the workforce for the 2021-22 season after taking part in for in Spain and Italy for years.

“The membership thanks him for his immense contribution throughout two spells at Previous Trafford,” a workforce assertion reads. “Everybody at Manchester United stays centered on persevering with the workforce’s progress below Erik ten Hag and dealing collectively to ship success on the pitch.”

The late Malcolm Glazer purchased Manchester United in a 2005 leveraged buyout that saddled it with huge money owed, and the household has confronted mistrust from hardcore supporters ever since. Whereas this was mitigated within the early years of their possession because the workforce continued to win trophies below storied supervisor Sir Alex Ferguson, resentment has grown steadily after the legendary coach’s retirement in 2013. Since then, the membership has cycled by way of managers and big-money gamers with solely a handful of trophies to point out for it.

–With help from Brandon Sapienza and David Hellier.