Manchester United’s American owners may ‘no longer be looking to sell the club’, with reports claiming the Glazers are considering a ‘U-turn’ despite receiving bids to buy the club.
The Glazers received bids from British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani last month, with the Qatari bid seeming to be edging towards success in the last few days.
Bidders were expected to travel to Manchester in the coming days to receive presentations on the running of the club.
It could now all be off, though, with the Sun claiming that the owners are considering taking the club off the market completely.
A number of options are reportedly on the table after neither bid came close to the £6 billion the Glazers were hoping for.
One of the options is said to be starting a new company that would use external cash to ‘push the club’s merchandising and digital commercial operation.’
It would allow the owners to take advantage of United’s global fanbase away from football, while such a move would strengthen their ties to the club and make a sale in the near future much less likely.
The news comes after a terrible weekend for the club that saw them lose 7-0 to arch-rivals Liverpool, their heaviest loss since 1931.
It came as something of a shock for Red Devils fans, after an excellent few weeks for Erik ten Hag’s side that have seen them win the League Cup and mount a challenge for the title.
United remain eight points off second-place Manchester City, although they are still fighting in the FA Cup and Europa League.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have moved within three points of fourth place Tottenham with a game and could still be on track for a Champions League place despite a less-than ideal start to the season.