- Offers invited back in November 2022
- No preferred bidder identified
- Uncertainty regarding recruitment budget
WHAT HAPPENED? The Red Devils have been up for sale since November 2022, with offers invited from interested parties. Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani have led the race for power at Old Trafford since then, but no preferred bidder has been identified and a long-running saga has dragged into the summer transfer window – denying first team manager Erik ten Hag the opportunity to work with a definitive budget when it comes to recruitment plans.
WHAT THEY SAID: Ex-United defender Evra has told The Times of a frustrating process: “We talk about this deal for how many months now? Since November. I think it is important for the fans, for the players and of course for Erik ten Hag. He is the right man [to be manager]. We don’t know who is going to be the new owner. We are already 20 miles back from Manchester City. Now, the question is: Can we stop this circus and find a solution and [have] the owner come as soon as possible? We need to find it now, before the season starts. When the season starts, it is already too late.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Former France international Evra, who took on captaincy duties at times during his spell with United, added: “Do we know which player is going to come? Do we know which player is going to leave? It is unfair for Erik ten Hag. It brings negative energy around the club. The club were already protesting against the Glazers when I signed in 2006, but we hid it because we were winning. I remember the green and yellow shirt and scarf were already at the stadium and I asked Gary Neville what was going on. He told me the fans were not happy with the owners. That was 17 years ago. We are talking about the same thing. We need to put an end to it if we want Man United to be back to where they belong.”
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WHAT NEXT? United are being linked with a number of players in the summer window – including the likes of Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Mason Mount and Andre Onana – but they have no set budget in place and remain unsure as to who will be calling shots from the boardroom by the time the next deadline arrives.