The Manchester United ownership is an issue that has been rumbling on in the background for the past nine months - and there aren't any signs of a conclusion being reached
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Manchester United need the ownership situation resolved as soon as possible, one club legend has said.
In November 2022, Manchester United’s owners the Glazer family announced they were considering selling the club as part of "exploring strategic alternatives". Bids from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos and Sheikh Jassim are the only two left on the table, and while nobody expected a speedy conclusion to the sale, nine months on from that the Glazers remain in charge.
Despite plenty of claims, and counter-claims, no deal has been agreed and Manchester United approach the new season under an enormous cloud of uncertainty.
David Beckham, now the current co-owner of Inter Miami, played 394 times for Manchester United across 11 years at the club. The Glazers didn't own the club during his time at Old Trafford, and speaking to The Athletic, Beckham suggests they should leave.
“Is it time for the Glazers to leave? I think so," he said. "I think it’s purely because the fans want it.
"Once you lose the fans, especially at a club like Manchester United, it’s hard to get them back. Obviously, they have achieved a lot, but there needs to be a change. We’ve all seen that, we all know that.”
David Beckham had an incredibly successful 11 years at Old Trafford (Image credit: Shaun Botterill/Allsport/Getty Images)
Beckham's comments come as the 1958 Group, a Manchester United supporters group leading the protests against the Glazers, highlighted their concern at the sale process dragging on for too long, suggesting the saga could end up being a full 18 months.
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"Look at the length of time it took for Newcastle to go through," a 1958 Group spokesperson told the BBC.
"That was £300m and Mike Ashley wanted to sell. That took 18 months. This is possibly a £6bn takeover and you have got six Glazer siblings to please. [So far] it is eight months. It is frustrating - but it could be a year. It could be 18 months."
They added: "If there is any involvement for the Glazers, in any minority, we will still push to get them out.
"But people have spent a lifetime protesting against this ownership. It would leave a bitter taste in the mouth to still have them there."
The Glazers put Manchester United up for sale a full nine months ago (Image credit: PA)
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Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
