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Edward Glazer, one of the five siblings who hold a controlling stake in Manchester United , has shed light on how the US family reaches consensus on key decisions concerning the football club. Despite enduring harsh criticism from fans over the millions of dollars of debt accrued since their takeover in 2005, the Glazer family has maintained a majority stake in the club. In 2024, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe finalised a deal to purchase a 27.7 per cent stake in the club - valued at approximately $1.6billion (£1.25bn). As part of the agreement, Ratcliffe has assumed control of football operations, assisted by Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada. Earlier this season, speculation about a potential takeover was rife when Turki Al-Sheikh posted on social media that the Reds were in 'advanced negotiations with a new investor'. On X, Al-Sheikh wrote: "The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor... I hope he's better than the previous owners." He followed this up with: "My (yesterday's) post about Manchester United's potential sale meant one thing, the club is in an advanced negotiation phase with a new investor." "Just to clarify, I'm not the investor, nor are they from my nation. I'm posting this as a fan who wishes the deal to happen, though it might not necessarily happen." At the time, United officials were taken aback by Al-Sheikh's activity, claiming that the report were 'news to them'. The Times' Charlotte Duncker did explain, though, how Ratcliffe could be left with no option if the Glazers decided to sell the club. "I think for the right price, they definitely would. There is a clause within Ratcliffe's agreement when he bought the club - I think it was triggered in August this year - that meant if the right offer came in - and I think that it was over something like $33 a share - that the Glazers could sell the whole club. "Not just their portion of it, but Sir Ratcliffe will be bought out, as well, so there is potential that the Glazers could sell the entire club but, at the minute, it just seems like a strange one with this news, this hype and this excitement that's been triggered by this one tweet." Speculation continues to swirl around a potential takeover at Old Trafford, although no formal discussions have taken place. Back in April, Edward Glazer - the youngest of the Glazer siblings - was quizzed about their decision-making process within the football club. When asked about the rationale behind their decision to sell around a quarter of United to Ratcliffe during a talk with students at the Kogod School of Business in Washington , he explained: "I think that... We're a family business, and it was really a decision we made collectively. "Not every decision is six-nothing. But, ultimately, why we have been successful as a family business is that we've always kind of agreed that, if the majority of family members want to do something, we realise we are in a family business and we have to do it. "One day it might be something that I'm in favour of. The next day, it may be something I'm not in favour. It was a family decision [the minority takeover]." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football . We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
