[Football] Glazers selling up?

[Herr Tubthumper]

rumour is growing... they all have an awful lot of cash floating around with not much to do. would expect them to start with US franchises, but i can see them buying in on the media/content angle.

Apple have a lot of cash stuck in Ireland which they can’t move to the US otherwise it will incur a huge tax bill, so maybe this is the reason they’re not going for US ?

 

[dazzer6666]

Apple have a lot of cash stuck in Ireland which they can’t move to the US otherwise it will incur a huge tax bill, so maybe this is the reason they’re not going for US ?

Quite possibly…..they’re sitting on c200 billion dollars in cash and investments overall, buying Man Utd would barely make a dent.

 

[Zeberdi]

Given they pretty much stumped up zero to buy the club, have taken plenty out along the way and stand to now trouser between 5-6bn in a sale Id say they made some very good strategic investment decisions over the years.

For themselves

 

[Mr Putdown]

At least Ratcliffe is a fan but it’s questionable he has the funds for the amount of capital investment the club is wanting

Do you honestly think someone worth 13 billion USD can’t afford Manchester United?

 

[Zeberdi]

Do you honestly think someone worth 13 billion USD can’t afford Manchester United?

Depends how much of that is tied up in existing assets? Net worth includes all tangible assets (minus debts/responsibilities) so that £10.75bn doesn’t go as far as you might think! - if he did actually have the full £10.75bn as disposable income (which is very unlikely) or used his existing assets as collateral (which is more likely), that’s still an estimated £5-6bn liability for the purchase price (depending on whether the Saudis get into a bidding war) + a current estimate of £1.5bn to upgrade Old Trafford - he can afford it but will he want to a/ spend/risk the bulk of his fortune on it and c/ spend the next 10 years on upgrading the stadium (when he didnt with Stamford Bridge)? I think he will be an early casualty if another Saudi (Middle Eastern )investment conglomerate step in - eg PIF’s £500 bn makes Ratcliffe’s £10.75bn small change. The Glazers will simply sell to the highest bidder if they can.

 

[Mr Putdown]

Depends how much of that is tied up in existing assets? Net worth includes all tangible assets (minus debts/responsibilities) so that £10.75bn doesn’t go as far as you might think! - if he did actually have the full £10.75bn as disposable income (which is very unlikely) or used his existing assets as collateral (which is more likely), that’s still an estimated £5-6bn liability for the purchase price (depending on whether the Saudis get into a bidding war) + a current estimate of £1.5bn to upgrade Old Trafford - he can afford it but will he want to a/ spend/risk the bulk of his fortune on it and c/ spend the next 10 years on upgrading the stadium (when he didnt with Stamford Bridge)? I think he will be an early casualty if another Saudi (Middle Eastern )investment conglomerate step in - eg PIF’s £500 bn makes Ratcliffe’s £10.75bn small change. The Glazers will simply sell to the highest bidder if they can.

The liquidity of those assets is an utter irrelevance when they‘re worth over £10bn.

Remind me how much of their own money the Glaziers personally put into their acquisition of your tourist club?

 

[El Presidente]

I understand the anti-Man Ure sentiment expressed by many posters, but don’t understand those who openly wish another petrochemical state or US billionaire ownership on them. If we want football to get better, we need better owners in the game.

It’s openly hypocritical to on one hand bemoan the influx of foreign investment at many clubs, and then wish it on another PL club.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d still like to see a bit more humility from Man U fans, and a long spell as lower/mid table team should achieve that, but I can’t agree with those wishing a petrochemical state or US billionaire on them.

If we want football to get better, we need an independent regulator and more even distribution of money within the game.

 

[Zeberdi]

The liquidity of those assets is an utter irrelevance when they‘re worth over £10bn.

Remind me how much of their own money the Glaziers personally put into their acquisition of your tourist club?

Despite the tone of your post - Small pittance compared to the investment needed to today - Man U takeover was £750m - However, the asset stripping Glazers paid £270m and raised purchase loans against the assets of the club which still haven't been paid off (debts amounting to £500m) which is why they are hated and why the club would never go for a similar arrangement today - and why, even once the debts are paid, the Glazers stand to make a killing with this sale.

PS not ‘MY CLUB‘ - Brighton is and I was never a ’tourist’ in Manchester or supporting it from afar, I was living there - I earlier mentioned I was a ‘tourist supporter’ as tongue in cheek because a/ my support was never particularly committed, I went because it was local and I knew people with season tickets and b/I don’t come from Manchester, I come from Brighton

 

[Zeberdi]

Does anyone think that any of the declared interested parties could outbid the Saudis ? Given the financial pot of PIF and the Saudi government’s eagerness to back another consortium of businessmen, the long term Saudi takeover of our top clubs could be well on the way - (and World Cup football )

Saudi minister backs bid for Man United or Liverpool and wants Ronaldo to join league

Saudi Arabia’s sports minister would support any bids from companies looking to buy Manchester United or Liverpool. The ownership of both Premier League clubs could change hands with Manchest…

talksport.com

 

[dazzer6666]

Does anyone think that any of the declared interested parties could outbid the Saudis ? Given the financial pot of PIF and the Saudi government’s eagerness to back another consortium of businessmen, the long term Saudi takeover of our top clubs could be well on the way - (and World Cup football )

Saudi minister backs bid for Man United or Liverpool and wants Ronaldo to join league

Saudi Arabia’s sports minister would support any bids from companies looking to buy Manchester United or Liverpool. The ownership of both Premier League clubs could change hands with Manchest…

talksport.com

If they want it, they can’t be outbid, simple. House of Saud (leading family basically own everything, however it’s currently held) has (according to fairly reliable sources) something like 1.4 trillion dollars in liquid assets. They can buy Man U with pocket change without blinking. Interesting to see how the PL ownership rules would affect any potential purchase and how the Saudis would get around those if it looks like happening but not difficult to see how they could easily segregate club ownership.

 

[Zeberdi]

Yeah- and knowing the Saudis, I wouldn’t put it past them to squeeze a quid pro quo in there somewhere along the way that would improve their chances of hosting 2030 (Like agreeing to lift the BeIN broadcasting ban to clear the road for PIF to buy Newcastle ) and clear any PL obstacles for them to buy both Liverpool and Man U at the same time.

So in answer to an earlier point raised
no, the Ratcliffes of this world won’t be able to afford it if the Saudis really want ManU (and Liverpool) they will easily be out bid. These days you need a lot more than £10bn to buy a top PL club. If people can’t see this as a hostile invasion of domestic and international football by the Saudis (who will continue to insist their human rights record is their own business) I wonder what do they see it as?

The majority of Newcastle fans didn’t give a shit about human rights issues, I doubt ManU or Liverpool fans or the PL will so the Saudis will keep buying more and more into English football and no one will be able to compete against their deep pockets

 

[Zeberdi]

More updates today here from the Saudis if any one is interested

Saudi Arabia's stance on Manchester United takeover

The Glazers put Man United on the market earlier this week and investment from Saudi Arabia has been linked to the club

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[nickjhs]

I lived in Manchester (Hume) for several years and while I didn’t turn my back on the Albion as my ‘hometown’ club, I became quite a fan of Alex Ferguson‘s management of the club and enjoyed watching them play - I have felt a little sad watching the decline.

Oh look out someone is going to call you "plastic" for writing this. Myself, I agree with you, why wouldn't we want better ownership of influential clubs, if you don't give a rats about Utd or their fans, then from a purely selfish perspective having Utd owned by people that have football foremost in their minds is a positive thing for the game in general.