Manchester United V Nottingham Forest:Pictures
Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has offered Red Devils fans a ‘crumb of comfort’ over a takeover. The former defender has slammed the Glazers for prolonging the exercise nearly nine months after the controversial current owners put the Premier League club up for sale.
Ferdinand believes that almost all of United’s issues stem from the Glazer siblings, who have been in full control since 2005. He says he was told just weeks ago that a takeover was close, with either Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani or Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to be crowned the new custodian of Old Trafford.
But there has been no further updates on which direction the Glazers will take the process. There are fears internally and externally that they will choose to remain in charge, with fans protesting again during the club’s win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Ferdinand insists there remains hope for supporters, though. He points out that neither Sheikh Jassim nor Ratcliffe have walked away from their reported £5billion proposals, proving that a deal could still be done.
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Writing in the Mirror, the ex-England star said: “So much of what is wrong with Manchester United starts and ends with the Glazer family. Of course, there are people working in executive roles at United who have also failed this iconic football club in recent years because they simply haven’t been up to the job.”
He added: “It is almost nine months since the Glazers put up a ‘For Sale’ sign at Old Trafford. Yet no one knows whether they actually have any intention of cashing in or staying put.
“A few weeks ago, I was told that a sale was imminent – and absolutely nothing materialised. The only crumb of comfort for United supporters is that neither Sheikh Jassim nor Sir Jim Ratcliffe have called the Glazers’ bluff and walked away.
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“So I’m still hopeful of a deal being struck. But it’s impossible to be certain of anything, because the people who own the club have maintained such an undignified silence.
“It has now got to the point where the temperature of the fanbase is starting to rise again. And if that is allowed to go unchecked then Erik ten Hag and his players will find themselves at the centre of a storm that is not of their making.”
The Glazers put United up for sale in November. Sheikh Jassim of Qatar and INEOS billionaire Ratcliffe have both made at least five offers – although there has been little communication since the former submitted his latest proposal in early June.
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