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- Fans have consistently protested owners
- Glazer family now ready to leave
- Potential bidders have emerged
WHAT HAPPENED? Manchester United's owners are expected to sell the entirety of the club this year, according to the Daily Mail, after they announced last November that they would explore outside investment opportunities. The Glazers' asking price is understood to be around the £8 billion ($9.8bn) mark.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already expressed an interest in buying Manchester United. He previously tried to purchase Chelsea before a Todd Boehly-led consortium beat him to the Stamford Bridge organisation, and the INEOS owner will also face intense competition for the Red Devils.
AND WHAT'S MORE: Any new ownership group would inherit a club now well removed from the golden Sir Alex Ferguson era but perhaps back on an upward trajectory under Erik ten Hag. United are among the best-supported teams in the world and would bring massive commercial opportunities to the winning bidder.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD? A formal bidding stage could reportedly begin as soon as three weeks from now, with Raine Group in charge of conducting the search for new owners.