'Formal bids' set to be submitted imminently in battle to buy Manchester United –⁠ report

Close-up shot of a Manchester United club crest on the exterior of Old Trafford, home stadium of Manchester United FC in Manchester, United Kingdom
(Image credit: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

The prospective sale of Manchester United could take another step closer to completion in the very near future, with interested buyers reportedly set to submit their official offers.

United's current owners, the controversial Glazer family, announced in November that they were putting the club on the market after some 17 years of control.

Relations between fans and board have become increasingly strained in recent years, leading to flashpoints such as when supporters stormed the Old Trafford pitch in 2021, causing United's game with Liverpool to be postponed.

Now, according to MailOnline, 'formal bids' to purchase United expected to be tabled within a matter of weeks.

INEOS magnate Sir Jim Ratcliffe – one of the richest people in the UK – appears to still be the front-runner, but there is also said to have been interest from the Middle East, Asia and the USA.

Needless to say, United won't come cheap: in a recent study by Sportico, the club was valued at $5.95bn (almost £5bn). Still, Ratcliffe's net worth is said to stand at over £10bn, so he shouldn't have too much trouble finding the cash.

The news comes as the search for fresh investment in Liverpool by owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) reportedly reaches a similar stage.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...