Despite Avram Glazer's insistence that he has no plans to sell Manchester United, interest in Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim taking over the club has surged. The Glazers' tenure at Old Trafford has sparked outrage among some United fans, with protests against their ownership since Avram and his late father, Malcolm, orchestrated a takeover in 2005.
Many harboured hopes that the Glazer family would consider exiting United for good after revealing plans for new investors in November 2022. At this time, the Glazers stated they were "commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives", fuelling hope among some United supporters that they might be on their way out.
Throughout a protracted process, Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe were primarily in the running to become United's next owners. Ultimately, Ineos chief Ratcliffe prevailed as his bid ensured the Glazers maintained their position as primary owners, while Jassim aimed to purchase 100 per cent of the club and put forward a £4.79billion offer.
However, their underwhelming start under Ratcliffe, who holds a 27.7 per cent stake in United, and the overall performance in the 2024/25 season have reignited rumours that Jassim could resume his efforts to buy the club. In December, the Daily Mail reported that Jassim remains interested in purchasing United despite Ineos' investment, as he 'dreams' of owning the club he reportedly supports.
A Qatari advisor explained: "He is still a United fan. He is not going to rush off and try another Premier League club. If the opportunity to buy the whole of Manchester United arose again at some point in the future it is hard to see there not being a big level of interest. The plans are still there."
Don't miss... Man Utd set to debut Sekou Kone with belief he's ‘better than first-teamer'
The report further suggested that the potential buyer would have aimed to eliminate United's mounting debt and even considered constructing a new stadium.
This speculation comes as United's financial woes continue, with recently released results showing net debt surpassing £1 billion since the Glazers' 2005 takeover.
Reflecting on these figures, it was noted that the Qatari investor would have likely cleared this daunting sum, potentially reviving United's gloomy monetary outlook.
Furthermore, the club announced a significant loss of £27.7m for the quarter ending December 2024. Manchester United also incurred additional costs amounting to £10.4m for the departure of Erik ten Hag and his team, and a £4m payoff following Dan Ashworth's exit from the club.
This article originally appeared on Manchester Evening News
